New Delhi: Three people died and several others were injured after a massive fire tore through a five-storey residential building in Tughlakabad Extension, Govindpuri, in the early hours of Friday.
The blaze was reported at 2:24 a.m. on the ground floor of the building on a narrow lane, officials said. Firefighters, police and senior district officers rushed to the scene; four fire tenders and CATS ambulances were part of the initial response. Additional water tenders, a breathing support unit and a quick response vehicle were also deployed.
Rescue teams evacuated eight residents overcome by heavy smoke and took them to Safdarjung Hospital and the AIIMS Trauma Centre. Three casualties were confirmed — a 22-year-old man and two women — while two other victims remain in critical condition, authorities said.
Preliminary enquiries indicate the fire may have been triggered by an electrical short circuit on the ground floor. Seven parked two wheelers, including an electric scooter that was charging, were gutted as the fire spread. A formal cause will be established after a detailed investigation, officials added.
Delhi Fire Services Assistant Divisional Officer Yashwant Singh Meena said the narrow street and the building’s layout complicated firefighting and rescue efforts. An eyewitness said the blaze intensified quickly and that the fire brigade arrived soon after being alerted.
Further investigation is under way.
(Inputs from IANS)