Delhi, Dec 08, TEN Network | More than 40 people, all men, were killed and several others injured on Saturday morning as a massive fire swept through a four-storey building in the crowded Rani Jhansi Road area of Delhi.
Teams of the Delhi Fire Service, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the police are at the site to help in rescue operations as the fire was doused.
Here is what we know so far:
* The fire was reported at 5:15am as most the people inside the building were asleep.
* Delhi Fire service director Atul Garg said around 60-70 people, most of them contractual labourers and factory workers, were inside the building with a single exit.
* Thirty fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the fire in the building in an area with narrow and congested lanes lined with many illegally built homes and factory units.
* Only one ambulance could enter the area so firefighters loaded them on their backs and took them out, Atul Garg said.
* The victims were moved to different hospitals where many of them were declared dead, police said. Many of the bodies have been charred and yet to be identified.
* Doctors said most of the people died due to smoke inhalation and suffocation. They added that the condition of those injured is not serious.
* Delhi Fire service director Garg said they are yet to ascertain the reason behind the fire. “Whether the building had fire fighting equipment is a matter of probe,” he said.
* Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other leaders described the fire as horrific.
* Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who described the news as “very, very tragic”, reached the accident spot along with home minister Satyendar Jain and civil supplies minister Imran Hussain.
* Kejriwal has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the fire and announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for those who died and Rs 1 lakh for the injured.
* Many people shouted slogans against Kejriwal as he addressed the media after visiting the spot. (HT)
