New Delhi: Nine members of a family, including three children, were burnt alive and three others were injured in a massive fire that broke out in a four-storey building in southwest Delhi’s Palam area on Wednesday morning, officials said.
According to fire department officials, a call was received about a fire in a house in a building in Palam at 7 am today. Thirty-one fire brigade vehicles rushed to the spot to douse the fire and rescue people.
The fire first broke out in a clothing shop in Ram Market in Palam, and the staff immediately rushed to the spot, a senior police officer said.
The fire broke out in a four-storey building in WZ-124A of Ram Chowk Market. The ground and first floors were occupied by a clothing and cosmetics showroom owned by Rajender Kashyap. But his family lived on the second and third floors, the official said.
Ten people injured in the fire were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals in ambulances. However, at Manipal Hospital, eight people were declared dead – Pravesh (35), Kamal (40), Ashu (32), Lado (70), Himanshi (22), and three minor girls aged 12, six and five.
A 38-year-old woman died at IGI Hospital. While a 40-year-old man and a two-year-old girl are undergoing treatment, another youth with 25 per cent burns has been admitted to Safdarjung Hospital.
The fire was successfully doused after fire and rescue operations. An FSL team has been called in for an inspection. Police said all the agencies concerned and the local police are at the spot.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered to probe the incident
“Deeply saddened to learn about the unfortunate fire incident in a multi-storey residential building in Palam. The district administration, Delhi Fire Department and Delhi Police are leading the rescue operation. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident,” the Delhi CM said.