[Watch] ‘Only One Staircase In Building’: Two Arrested After Massive Delhi Blaze Leaves 27 Dead, 12 Injured

New Delhi: Two persons have been arrested and rescue operations are still on after a massive fire in a four-storey commercial building in Outer Delhi’s Mundka on Friday night left 27 people dead and 12 injured in one of the worst fire tragedies in the national capital.

At least 50 people have been rescued from the building while some are still feared trapped inside. The Delhi Fire Service deployed cranes to rescue those trapped. Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg  said 30 fire tenders were rushed to the spot.

As the fire, suspected to have started on the first floor, spread, several people rushed to the upper floors. Video clips showed people using ropes to climb down or trying to escape through broken windows. According to reports, the building has only one staircase, which prevented people from escaping.

The first floor housed the office of a CCTV camera and router manufacturing company. A generator was kept on this floor. The owners of the company — Harish Goel and Varun Goel — have been arrested, police said. The owner of the building, identified as Manish Lakra, is on the run.

Although the fire started at around 4.40 pm on Friday, the magnitude of the tragedy struck only at night when the flames were doused and fire and rescue personnel could enter the building. Charred bodies were strewn all over. A motivational speech event was being held on the second floor when the fire broke out. Police suspect most deaths took place on this floor.

President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were among several politicians to express their condolences over the tragedy.

The Prime Minister announced Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives and Rs 50,000 to the injured.

Home Minister Amit Shah said he was in constant touch with the authorities and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had been pressed into service.