Three people were killed and at least eight others injured after a massive fire broke out in a multi-storey residential building in Delhi's Tughlakabad area in the early hours of Friday, ANI reported on Friday, citing the police.
Six people were rescued by personnel of the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) and shifted to a nearby hospital with the assistance of the Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS), the report said. Fire department officials told ANI that at least eight injured people were evacuated and taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre for treatment.
The fire broke out at a building located in Gali No. 1 near Naya Tara Apartment on Madhyam Marg under the jurisdiction of Okhla Fire Station-1.
Delhi Fire Service Assistant Divisional Officer Yashwant Singh Meena said, cited by ANI, that the building had a ground floor and five upper floors and was located in a narrow lane, making firefighting and rescue operations difficult.
ANI reported that the fire department received multiple emergency calls between 2:35 am and 2:37 am about a blaze in the building and people trapped inside.
In response, firefighters rushed three water tenders, two water bowsers, a breathing support unit and a Quick Response Vehicle to the spot. An additional fire unit was later deployed following further distress calls.
The report said that preliminary findings from the fire department suggest that the blaze may have originated in vehicles parked inside the building. Firefighters launched rescue efforts after receiving reports that several residents were trapped.
The fire was brought under control by 3:45 am, while firefighting operations were completed by 4 am, according to the fire department, ANI said. Rescue operations continued even after the blaze was extinguished, with firefighters rescuing another occupant during the final phase of the operation.
The total number of people rescued by Delhi Fire Service personnel stood at six. Further investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.
