Three of family killed in Delhi building fire
Three members of a family were killed and two others critically injured after a fire spread through a five-storied residential building in Delhi's Govindpuri area early Friday. Officials said it allegedly started in the parking area.
According to police, a PCR call reporting the blaze at a building in Tughlakabad Extension was received at Govindpuri police station around 2.31 am. Local police teams rushed to the spot, soon joined by senior officers. Firefighters, CATS ambulances and other emergency responders were then mobilised for rescue operations.
The deceased were identified as Pankaj, 28, his grandmother Sushila Devi, 70, and his sister Soni, 20, all residents of the building's third floor. Two other family members, Moni, 18, and Guddi, 50 (Pankaj's mother), sustained critical injuries and are undergoing treatment.
Initial inquiry suggests the fire may have been triggered by an electrical short circuit in the building's ground-floor parking area. Officials said the blaze engulfed three scooters, two motorcycles, and a bicycle parked there. An electric scooter that was reportedly being charged is under investigation. A detailed probe will determine the exact cause of the fire.
According to the DFS, the fire and dense smoke rapidly spread from the parking area to all five upper floors of the building, leaving the ground, first and second floors completely gutted and the remaining floors partially damaged.
Fire officials said rescuing residents trapped on the upper floors was especially challenging because thick smoke engulfed the staircase.
DFS personnel climbed to the terrace, cut open a locked gate and entered from above. CATS ambulances and PCR personnel then rescued two young women stranded on the rooftop and rushed them to the hospital.
Mohan, a resident of the third floor who was travelling to Jaipur when the fire broke out, rushed back after receiving a phone call from neighbours.
"I got a call from one of the neighbours. I returned just an hour ago. My wife and I stay in this flat. I haven't been allowed to enter because the crime team and forensic experts are still examining the building," he said.
The incident has once again raised concerns about fire safety in Delhi's densely populated residential colonies, where narrow lanes, inadequate ventilation, and EV charging in parking areas can complicate firefighting operations and increase the risk of smoke-inhalation fatalities. Police said the investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause of the blaze.
