Sleepless night for neighbours; another fire in same building

Police use 3D technology to collect evidence

NEW DELHI: "It was a sleepless night on Sunday. The incident has left us in utter shock," Praveen Jain said on Monday morning, referring to the Anaj Mandi tragic fire. Jain has been living in the neighbourhood for around 15 years. However, Monday morning again began with a fire at the same factory building, which was this time controlled by three fire tenders.

One fire official said, "Around 7:48 am we got a call regarding the incident. The fire was in the cardboards and it was doused soon." Meanwhile, commuters were busy taking photographs of the incident spot. "Which was the building that caught fire?" one of the commuters asked people at the scene after halting his bike on the corner of the street. The Anaj Mandi area was heavily guarded by policemen who were not allowing anyone to come near the building.

Most of the shops, factories near the spot were closed. The factory workers and owners were avoiding the media and reporters. Few labourers also claimed that after the incident, their family members were asking them to come back home.

Meanwhile, a Delhi Police team reached the building to reconstruct the crime scene and document the evidence with the help of 3D laser scan technology.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) BK Singh confirmed the use of the technology in probe. This is the second time, after the blaze at Arpit Palace hotel in Karol Bagh this year, that the police are using this technology to investigate a fire incident.

30-year-old Prem Prakash, also a resident, said that after the incident, they now want authorities to act and stop the illegal factories running in their neighbourhood and across the city. "I think most of the people did not sleep at night just out of fear," Prakash said. One Mohammad Nasik was roaming near the building, claiming that he was one of the workers who were employed at one of the factories running inside the building. "My money, clothes, phone are all inside the factory and I have no money for food," said Nasik.

Meanwhile, relatives of one of the deceased identified as Afsad told Millennium Post that the money which he had saved for his sister's wedding where burnt in the fire. "He was all set to go home on Monday. He had purchased gifts for his children. Afsad was very happy but the blaze killed him," said Mohammad Saddam, deceased's relative, adding that he was the only bread and butter earner in the house.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (north) Monika Bharadwaj said all deceased were identified and no further casualty was reported. "Visit of FSL Rohini team has been done, also sample from the place of the incident has been taken," said DCP North.