Delhi fire

“The fire was big and we pressed in more than 50 fire tenders… Most died of smoke inhalation. Sixty-three people were removed from inside the building, dead or alive,” Garg said.

The fire services director also said that they are yet to ascertain the reason behind fire. “Whether the building had firefighting equipment is a matter of probe,” he said. “It was a very old building, not approved in any way.”

Of the two staircases in the building one was blocked by goods. The building also had lot of combustible materials inside. The building which had no ventilation was virtually a fire trap.

The fire devastated the third floor of the building and also badly affected the second floor while the first floor suffered relatively little damage. Every floor had 4-5 rooms. The ground floor hosted a plastic toy manufacturing unit, the first floor had a cardboard manufacturing unit, the second floor was garment workshop while the third floor hosted a factory for making jackets and also had a printing unit, officials said.

Two firemen also suffered minor injuries in the firefighting and rescue operations, fire officials said.

The victims were moved to different hospitals where many of them were declared dead, police said. Many of the bodies have been charred and are yet to be identified. Many others died of suffocation.

“The deaths were mostly due to smoke inhalation and suffocation,” ANI quoted Kishore Singh, medical director, Lok Nayak Hospital, as saying. “They have been kept under observation.”

Of t he 1 5 pat i e nt s bei ng treated at the Lok Nayak Hospital, one has suffered over 50% burns and is said to be critical. Nine others are also in the burn ward. The others have injuries through smoke inhalation and are critical but stable.

At Smt Sucheta Kriplani Hospital, of the nine dead, doctors said seven likely died due to inhalation injuries and two died of burn injuries.

Police have registered a case o f c ul p a b l e homici d e not amounting to murder against the owner of the building who is absconding.

“The case has been transferred to the crime branch,” deputy commissioner of police (north) Monika Bhardwaj said.

It is Delhi’s worst fire accident since the Uphaar theatre blaze during the screening of Bollywood film ‘Border’ in June 1997 killed 59 people and injured over 100.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the fire was horrific and wished speedy recovery for the people wounded. “The fire in Delhi’s Anaj Mandi on Rani Jhansi Road is extremely horrific. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. Wishing the injured a quick recovery. Authorities are providing all possible assistance at the site of the tragedy,” he tweeted.

Union home minister Amit Shah said he has instructed authorities concerned to provide all possible assistance on urgent basis. “Tragic loss of precious lives in the fire accident in New Delhi. My deepest condolences with families of those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for t he e a r l y r e c o v e r y o f t he injured,” Shah tweeted.

POLICE OFFICIALS SAID THEY HAVE REGISTERED A CASE OF CULPABLE HOMICIDE NOT AMOUNTING TO MURDER AGAINST THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING