Six Family Members Injured in Delhi Building Fire, Narrow Escape via Terrace
In a harrowing incident in north west Delhi, six members of a family, including a young child, sustained injuries as they narrowly escaped a fire that erupted in their residential building in Tri Nagar on Friday morning. The blaze, which originated from faulty electric wiring, rapidly engulfed the staircase, forcing the family to make a desperate dash to the terrace and cross over to an adjacent building to safety.
Fire Breaks Out Early Morning, Injured Hospitalized
The Delhi Fire Services received an emergency call at 7:10 am from Anaj Mandi in Tri Nagar, prompting the dispatch of three fire tenders to the scene. Firefighters managed to bring the flames under control within an hour. The injured individuals were promptly shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
The injured have been identified as:
- Pritam Lal, 38 years old
- Anita Devi, 50 years old (Pritam's mother)
- Bharat Lal, 32 years old (Pritam's brother)
- Moni, 27 years old (Bharat's wife)
- Vandana, 24 years old
- Soumya, three-and-a-half-year-old sister of Pritam and Bharat
Officials from the Delhi Fire Services reported that all six suffered burn injuries ranging between 15% and 25% of their body surface area.
Building Structure and Occupancy Details
The affected building is a ground floor-plus-three-storey structure situated on a 50 square yard plot. The injured family resided on the second floor as tenants. The first floor was occupied by the landlord, who was out of Delhi at the time of the incident, while another family lived on the third floor. The ground floor housed a saree shop named Kanhaiya Saree, which remained unaffected by the fire.
Cause of Fire and Contributing Factors
Preliminary investigations by police indicate that the fire likely started due to a short circuit near an electric water motor on the staircase. The situation was exacerbated by the storage of cosmetic items, such as nail polish and thinners, which are highly flammable, in close proximity to the motor. Additionally, a motorcycle parked near the stairs may have accelerated the spread of the flames.
A senior police officer stated, "Prima facie, the fire appears to have started due to a short circuit near an electric water motor where cosmetic items were kept on the staircase. A motorcycle parked near the stairs may have further accelerated the fire."
Dramatic Escape and Eyewitness Accounts
As thick smoke filled the ground floor, locals and sanitation workers helped break open the entrance to facilitate escape. Residents from the upper floors managed to evacuate before the smoke intensified, rushing to the terrace and climbing across to the neighboring house to descend safely.
Akhil, a neighbor, recounted the chaotic scene: "It was early morning when my mother noticed a burning smell. We stepped out and saw thick smoke filling the ground floor." He added that the family on the second floor faced a narrower escape window. "We kept shouting and ringing their bell continuously. By the time they came out to the balcony, the staircase was already in flames. They were exposed to the fire while trying to escape. Eventually, they too reached the terrace and climbed into the adjacent building to get down."
Storage of Flammable Materials Worsened Blaze
Sunny, a relative of the landlord, highlighted the dangerous practice of storing flammable cosmetic goods near the staircase as a key factor that intensified the fire. "Despite repeated requests, a large quantity of cosmetic items like nail polish and thinners, which are highly flammable, were being stored near the stairs, very close to the parked motorcycle and motor," he explained.
At the site, charred remains of these products, including melted containers and burnt packaging, were found alongside the debris of the motorcycle, underscoring the severity of the incident.
This incident raises serious concerns about fire safety measures in densely populated urban areas, emphasizing the need for stricter adherence to storage regulations and electrical maintenance to prevent such tragedies in the future.
