Seven, including two children of a family, were killed after building blaze in Delhi

At least seven members of a family, including two children, have died, and several others were critically injured after a major fire broke out in a multi-storey residential building near Shri Ram Chowk, located close to the Palam Metro station in southwest Delhi on Wednesday (March 18).

Fire response and rescue operations

Confirming the incident, officials from Delhi Police and Delhi Fire Services said that 30 fire tenders have been pressed into service to douse the flames and conduct search and rescue operations.

According to Delhi Fire Services (DFS) officials, a clearer picture of the situation will emerge only after firefighting and rescue efforts are complete.

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An official of the fire control room said that a call was received at around 7 pm about a fire in a residential building in Gali Number-2 at Shri Ram Chowk near the Palam Metro station, reported the Hindustan Times. “Accordingly, 30 fire tenders were dispatched there. Our firefighters are trying to rescue people,” said the official.

"Information was received about a fire in a residential unit, and we feared some people might be trapped inside. Rescue operations were launched immediately," a DFS officer said.

Victim's declared brought dead

The second and third floors of the five-storey building were residential units. Visuals from the scene showed thick plumes of black smoke billowing out of the building and rising into the sky, as flames engulfed portions of the structure.

Seven people, including three children, were taken out of the building by DFS personnel and rushed to a nearby hospital, where they were declared dead, officials said.

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Two others had jumped out of the building due to the flames. They are currently under treatment at a hospital, they said.

According to Delhi Fire Services (DFS), the building had a basement and five floors, with a temporary tin shed on the roof.

The basement, ground and first floors were being used for storage of clothes and cosmetics, while the second and third floors were residential units.

Cooling operations were underway

Firefighters carried out intensive search and rescue operations in the smoke-filled building after navigating through the congested locality. Rescue teams searched the premises to ensure no one remained trapped, officials said.

In videos circulating online, people could be seen gathering in the narrow lanes near the building as firefighters battled the blaze using hoses and ladders.

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Police and other emergency services have cordoned off the area to facilitate the firefighting operation. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Further details are awaited.

According to Deputy Commissioner of police (southwest) Amit Goel, about a dozen people were trapped inside the building.

“The firefighting operation is still on. We are monitoring the situation. Our police personnel are also assisting the firefighters,” he added.

(With agency inputs)