At least nine people have died, and four others have been injured in a fire that broke out in a four-storey residential building in Delhi’s Vivek Vihar in the early hours of Sunday. Prima facie, the blaze is believed to have been caused by an AC blast.Information about the incident was received by authorities at 3:47 AM. As many as 12 fire tenders were rushed to the site following the call.
The Victims
First Floor Shikha Jain (45)Second Floor (Backside) Arvind (son of Chotte Lal, 60), Anita Jain (58), Nishant Jain (35), Anchal Jain (33), a one-year-old boyThird Floor Nitin Jain (~50), Shailey Jain (~48), Samyak Jain (~25)
Total: 4 men, 4 women, 1 childAmong those who lost their lives on the first floor was Shikha Jain (45), wife of Naveen.The victims on the second floor included a one-year-old boy. The deceased on the third floor belonged to a single family: Nitin Jain, his wife Shailey Jain, and their son Samyak Jain.
Rescue Operations
The fire engulfed apartments on the second, third, and fourth floors of the building, prompting a large-scale rescue operation. The exact cause of the deadly blaze is yet to be ascertained, but officials suspect an AC blast as the primary cause.—Rescue OperationsThe bodies of five of the nine victims were recovered from the second floor of the building, while three others were found in the staircase mumty, which was found locked. The body of one other person was recovered from the first floor.Over a dozen people have been rescued so far. It is feared that the death toll may rise further.—
The Injured
Naveen Jain (48) was among the injured. Two others sustained minor injuries and were rushed to a hospital for treatment.—
Reactions
Reacting to the tragedy, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the incident was extremely tragic and expressed grief over the loss of lives. She added that the injured are undergoing treatment and wished for their speedy recovery, while assuring that authorities are closely monitoring the situation and providing all possible assistance.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also expressed sorrow over the incident, offering condolences to the bereaved families and praying for the recovery of those injured.The fire engulfed apartments on the second, third, and fourth floors of the building, prompting a large-scale rescue operation. The exact cause of the deadly blaze is yet to be ascertained, but officials suspect an AC blast as the primary cause.—Rescue OperationsThe bodies of five of the nine victims were recovered from the second floor of the building
