Mundka fire tragedy: Building lacked fire NOC, owner on the run after 27 dead

The divisional officer of the fire department blamed the building’s internal layout for the mishap and said that people could not evacuate the building as it had only one staircase.

The fire that erupted in a building near Delhi’s Mundka metro station has claimed 27 lives so far. DCP Sameer Sharma (Outer District) while speaking to the media, informed that the building that witnessed the unfortunate tragedy did not have a fire NOC. The police official added that one Manish Lakra has been identified as the building owner. “The building did not have a fire NOC. The owner of the building has been identified as Manish Lakra who lived on the top floor. Lakra is currently absconding, teams are on the job and he will be nabbed soon,” Sharma stated.

A preliminary probe has revealed that the building is a four-storey commercial building used for providing office space for companies, the police said. The fire reportedly broke out on the first floor of the building, the office of a CCTV and router manufacturer. The owners of the company are in police custody. DCP Sameer Sharma said, “A total of 27 people have died and 12 are injured. We’ll take the help of the forensic team to identify the bodies. FIR has been registered. We’ve detained company owners. There are chances that more bodies may be recovered as the rescue operation is yet to be completed.”

The divisional officer of the fire department also blamed the building’s internal layout for the mishap and said that people could not evacuate the building as it had only one staircase. Satpal Bhardwaj, Divisional Officer, Fire Department was quoted as saying by ANI, “There was only one staircase and because of that people could not go out. The building did not have proper NOC (from the fire department).”