A Delhi building fire in Swaroop Nagar injured six people, including three children, after residents of an adjacent building reportedly jumped from height in panic as smoke and heat spread through the area on Sunday morning. All six were taken to hospital and were reported to be out of danger, while the cause of the blaze remained unknown.
The fire broke out at about 11.30am in a building in Khadda Colony that houses a gym on the ground floor and a unit manufacturing judo uniforms and boxing gloves on the floors above. Fire department officials said nobody was present inside the affected building when flames engulfed its ground and first floors.
Residents of the building opposite the affected property began trying to escape after smoke and heat, intensified by strong winds, appeared to overwhelm them. Six people reportedly jumped and sustained injuries. Some also fell ill after inhaling smoke, according to fire department officials.
The injured were identified as Priyanka, 28, and her eight-year-old and five-year-old daughters; Santosh, 33, and her eight-year-old daughter Tanvi; and Vijay. They were taken to hospital for treatment and were stated to be out of danger.
A video purportedly showing part of the incident surfaced after the fire. It showed a woman sitting on a ventilator-like structure before losing her grip and falling, while local residents appeared to try to help her with what looked like a rope or stick. Residents also said that 10 to 12 people were rescued from the adjacent building using a ladder.
Local residents attempted to control the blaze but were unable to douse it, according to one resident. Another said he and his friends helped with the rescue operation and removed gas cylinders from nearby homes to reduce the risk of a further incident. Residents said they later used the stairs to leave the building.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi said the property was in a “non-conforming area” and that it had not granted a licence for the premises. A resident claimed the factory had been operating from the residential area for three to four years and questioned how it had been allowed to function there. Several fire tenders were sent to the location, and the blaze was brought under control. Officials had not yet established its cause.
