5 rescued from fire at Dwarka building

Five members of a family were rescued from the first floor of a two-storey building in Dwarka after a fire broke out in its basement in the early hours on Monday. The family was trapped as some vehicles parked in the basement caught fire, blocking their escape route.

Delhi Fire Services (DFS) chief Atul Garg said that while a detailed inspection is awaited, a preliminary investigation suggested a short circuit may have sparked the fire.

Officials aware of the matter said the DFS control room received a call around 1.30am, reporting that some people were trapped in a house due to a fire in Dwarka Mor; four fire tenders were rushed to the spot initially, and two more were sent later. “Our team found that the fire had sparked from the basement of the residential building. Since there was only one entry and exit point, they could not leave the building,” said Garg.

He added that one group of firefighters focused on containing the blaze, while another team tried to rescue the trapped family.

“Wearing hazmat suits, our men tried to enter the building through stairs but it was not possible. We then set up a ladder up to the balcony of the first floor and our men climbed up to assist the family and bring them down. All five of them were brought down one by one safely using the ladder. None of them were hurt,”said Garg.

In August last year, three members of a family, including a 12-year-old boy, had to be rescued from their east Delhi flat after a fire broke out on the ground floor. The vehicles had caught fire, blocking the only escape route. “People must ensure that vehicles are not parked near electricity meters, particularly in buildings that do not have an alternate escape route. People must also get the wiring of electricity meters checked by qualified professionals every year,” said Garg.