Delhi Residential Building Fire, Four Lives Lost, Two Injured in Tragic Blaze

Delhi grapples with the aftermath of this tragic blaze, may the memory of those lost be forever cherished

A devastating fire engulfed a five-storey building in the congested Ram Nagar neighborhood near Mansarovar Park in northeast Delhi, resulting in the tragic loss of four lives, including that of a one-year-old girl. Two others sustained injuries in the blaze, which broke out on a fateful Friday evening, according to the Delhi Police.

Atul Garg, the chief of Delhi Fire Services (DFS), revealed that they received a distress call at 5:22 pm, reporting the inferno at a house in New Modern Shahdara where six individuals were trapped. Responding swiftly, approximately 20 firefighters deployed in five fire tenders rushed to the scene to combat the flames and execute the rescue operation.

The victims were identified as Gauri Soni (40), her 17-year-old son Pratham Soni, Rachna Devi (28), and her infant daughter Ruhi Kumar. Among the injured were Radhika Kumar (16) and Prabhawati Devi (70), both of whom lived as tenants on the second and third floors of the building, as per fire officials.

“It took nearly three hours to douse the flames and rescue the six trapped individuals. Some were found unconscious on the staircase, indicating an attempt to escape through various routes, including the lower floors and the terrace, where the gate was found open,” shared Deepak Hooda, assistant divisional officer of DFS.

DFS chief Garg disclosed that the ground floor of the building served as a storage area for wipers, rubber materials, and cutting machines, pinpointing it as the likely origin of the fire. “Six individuals, including a child, were swiftly transported to a nearby hospital in CATS ambulances and police vans,” he added.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Surender Choudhary outlined the police response, stating that upon receiving the fire report, personnel from the Mansarovar Park police station rushed to the scene. Three individuals were rescued with the assistance of the public, while firefighters aided in the rescue of three others, all of whom were semi-unconscious during transport to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, where unfortunately, four of them succumbed to their injuries upon arrival.l

The building, consisting of ground plus four floors with a single staircase, is owned by Bharat Singh, who occupies the ground and first floors, with the upper floors rented out. Legal actions are being pursued, as confirmed by DCP Choudhary.

While investigations are ongoing, preliminary assessments suggest a short circuit on the ground floor as the potential cause of the fire, although a thorough investigation will determine the exact circumstances, as stated by a senior police officer.

This tragedy comes merely a week after another fatal fire incident claimed the lives of five individuals and critically injured two others in a residential building in Pitampura, northwest Delhi.

The devastating blaze that ravaged a five-storey building in northeast Delhi has left a community reeling in shock and sorrow. As the dust settles and the extent of the tragedy becomes clearer, the heart-wrenching loss of four lives, including that of an innocent one-year-old girl, serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the indiscriminate nature of disasters.

With flames engulfing the building in the congested Ram Nagar neighborhood near Mansarovar Park, chaos and panic ensued as residents scrambled to escape the inferno. Amidst the chaos, six individuals found themselves trapped, their fate hanging precariously in the balance as firefighters battled tirelessly to contain the blaze and execute a daring rescue operation.

As the smoke cleared and the flames were extinguished, the grim reality set in. Four precious lives were lost in the merciless grip of the fire, their dreams and aspirations abruptly cut short. Gauri Soni, her teenage son Pratham, Rachna Devi, and her infant daughter Ruhi Kumar were among the victims, their untimely demise sending shockwaves through the community.

As the names of the deceased reverberate through the streets of northeast Delhi, grief-stricken residents come together to mourn the loss of their loved ones. The tragedy serves as a somber reminder of the importance of community solidarity in times of adversity, as neighbors rally around those affected, offering support and solace in their darkest hour.

Questions linger in the aftermath of the fire, as authorities seek to unravel the circumstances that led to the deadly inferno. Preliminary investigations point to a short circuit on the ground floor as a possible cause, yet the full extent of the tragedy remains shrouded in uncertainty.

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