Massive Fire In Delhi’s Vivek Vihar: 9 Dead, 4 Injured After Suspected AC Blast Triggers Blaze

The fire incident in a four storey residential building in Vivek Vihar area of Delhi on Sunday resulted in the death of nine and non-fatal injury to four people. There are early reports that the fire could have been ignited by a suspected air conditioner explosion though the actual cause is yet to be officially established. The panic of the building fire swept the whole area due to the rapid spread of the flames in the building and the consequent entrapment of several residents within the building. The emergency notification was received by emergency services in time which allowed initiating rescue operations despite the challenging conditions.

What Did Delhi Police Say?

‘During preliminary enquiry, it has been found that nine persons have lost their lives in the said fire incident. Fire was found in the flats situated on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors. During rescue and fire extinguishing operations, 10/15 persons were rescued from the building, out of whom two persons, having sustained minor injuries, were shifted to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital for medical treatment. 12 fire tenders were at the spot with DDMA staff, traffic officials, and local police,’ as per Delhi Police. 

What Exactly Happened Here?

Firefighting operations began as soon as 12 fire tenders reported with the aim of fighting the fire. According to a report by the Delhi Fire Service, fire fighters put out the fire and the duty officer issued a ‘stop’ message at around 8:00 AM. It was reported that the fire gutted household items in six apartments that covered most of the second, third and fourth floors of the building. During the search of the building, which included one body found on the first floor, and five bodies found on the second floor and three bodies found in a secured stairway, the firefighters discovered a total of nine burned bodies. The emergency response teams that included the personnel of Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), traffic police and local law enforcement officers attended to the emergency situation in order to provide rescue and relief services. The police have reported that their search efforts continue to ensure that no individuals remain trapped within the destroyed building.

What Was The Cause Of The Fire?

Local municipal councillor Pankaj Luthra said that the victims had been found on several floors and their identities were yet to be established because of the magnitude of the damage. He indicated that DNA tests will be needed to determine the dead bodies. The exact cause of the fire has not been confirmed by the officials although preliminary speculations have hinted at a short circuit as a possible cause of the fire. Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajendra Prasad Meena announced that police are in investigations and they will avail more information after completing investigation and evaluation missions.

(With ANI Inputs)

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