• Source:JND
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HighLights
  1. Nine people died in Vivek Vihar building fire.
  2. Suspected AC blast triggered the tragic building blaze.
  3. Firefighters responded quickly to the fire at the scene by sending more than 14 fire tenders to surround the fire and perform rescues. 

In a tragic incident, nine people were killed while 15 others were rescued after a suspected AC blast triggered fire at a four-storey building in Vivek Vihar, located in Delhi's Shahdara, in the wee hours on Sunday 

According to officials, the incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, with the fire reportedly starting around 3:45-4:00 am on the second floor of the building before rapidly spreading to the upper levels.

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Rescue Operation

Firefighters responded quickly to the fire at the scene by sending more than 14 fire tenders to surround the fire and perform rescues. Many families were stranded inside their homes and taken to local hospitals, where they were treated for all different types of injuries.

Shahdara district Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Rajendra Prasad Meena said, "We received a call about the fire early in the morning. Fire tenders immediately reached the spot and brought the fire under control."

Visuals of the incident reveal considerable damage to the inside of the building, including sections of the building that have collapsed; large amounts of burnt items inside the building, as well as debris on the stairways and corridors. There is a lot of water flowing from broken pipes throughout the building, as well as large amounts of residual smoke, which shows how fierce the fire was.

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DFS Officer Mukesh Verma said, "Upon getting reports at 3:47 AM regarding a fire in a residential building, our fire tenders rushed to the scene. We deployed 5 ladders, cutting tools, and our specialised turntable ladder to conduct simultaneous firefighting and rescue operations. The building comprises 4 floors with each floor having 4BHK flats. The majority of the fire was concentrated on the rear side of the building, and that is where we encountered the highest number of casualties. Protective grilles and bars had been installed on the windows, which posed difficulties during rescue operations.”

Local MLA Sanjay Goyal visited the site to assess the situation, as authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and evaluate safety measures in the area.

"This is a very sad incident. The incident happened in the building situated in Block B of Vivek Vihar. There are 8 flats in the building. Because of a short circuit, at around 3:45 am, the fire started and spread to all 4 floors of the building. Because some people were unable to open the lock, they lost their lives. Bodies are being taken to the mortuary of GTB Hospital for identification," ANI quoted MLA Sanjay Goyal.

"Some bodies have been converted into skeletons. Their identification will be done through DNA sampling. Police have taken photographs of the bodies for their identification. A short circuit is said to be the main cause behind this incident; however, some are saying it happened because of a blast in the AC," he added.

After approximately 2 hours, the fire was put out and then search and recovery operations were conducted. After all bodies were recovered and turned over to the police for final procedures.

Residents Point To Possible AC Blast

It is still under investigation what caused the fire; it is stated by some people who lived near the building that either an air conditioning unit malfunctioned or exploded, causing this event to happen.

"A blast in the AC triggered the fire. Around 12-15 were rescued. However, 4-5 people are still missing. The fire started at around 03:13 am. Fire tenders arrived at around 3:35 am. Efforts are being made to extinguish the fire," a resident, Rohit, told news agency ANI.

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Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta called the incident "extremely tragic" and extended support to the affected families.

"The fire incident in a building in Vivek Vihar is extremely tragic. The loss of 9 lives in this accident has left me deeply distressed. Treatment of the injured in the accident is ongoing at the nearest hospital, and I pray for their swift recovery. In this hour of grief, my condolences are with the affected families. I pray to God to grant them the strength to endure this difficult time," she wrote in a post on X.

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