Seven of Family, Including Three Children, Killed in Delhi’s Palam Building Fire

Seven members of a family, including three children, died after a fire broke out in a multi-storey residential building in southwest Delhi’s Palam area on Wednesday morning, officials said.

Two people jumped from the building in a bid to escape the flames and were admitted to a hospital, they added.

According to Delhi Fire Services, around 30 fire brigades were rushed to the spot after information about the blaze was received.

Residents in the area alleged that the fire was caused by a short-circuit in the wee hours of Wednesday. They said the building housed around 10 to 15 people, with the second and third floors serving as residential units.

What did visuals reveal about the Palam building fire in Delhi?

Visuals from the scene showed thick plumes of black smoke billowing out of the building and rising into the sky, as flames engulfed portions of the structure.

Chief minister Rekha Gupta said a magisterial inquiry had been ordered into the incident. In a post on X, she said she was extremely distressed to learn about the unfortunate fire at the residential building.

“The district administration, Delhi Fire Service and Delhi Police are leading the rescue operation,” she said. “A magisterial enquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident,” she added.

Lt Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu said rescue and firefighting operations were being closely monitored and all necessary support was being extended.

What did officials say about the Palam fire incident in Delhi?

“Deeply distressed by the fire incident in a residential building near Palam Metro. My thoughts are with those affected by this tragic loss,” he said in a post on X.

According to DFS, the building had a basement and five floors, with a temporary tin shed on the roof. The basement, ground and first floors were being used for storage of clothes and cosmetics, while the second and third floors were residential units.

Firefighters carried out intensive search and rescue operations in the smoke-filled building after navigating through the congested locality.

Cooling operations were underway at the time of filing this report, while teams continued to search the premises to ensure no one remained trapped, officials said.

In videos circulating online, people were seen gathering in the narrow lanes near the building as firefighters battled the blaze using hoses and ladders.

Police and other emergency services have cordoned off the area to facilitate the firefighting operation. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

(With inputs from ANI)