Delhi Fire Kills Nine as Locked Terrace and Iron Grills Trap Residents in Vivek Vihar

Key facts

• Fire broke out at approximately 3:13 AM on Sunday in a four-storey building in Vivek Vihar, east Delhi.
• Nine people died, including a 1.5-year-old toddler; five members of one family perished on the second floor.
• The deceased on the second floor: Arvind (60), Anita Jain (58), Nishant Jain (35), Anchal Jain (33), and Akash Jain (18 months).
• On the first floor, Shikha Jain (45) was found dead; on the third floor, Nitin Jain (50), Shailey Jain (48), and Samyak Jain (25) died.
• Twelve to fifteen people were rescued; two with minor injuries were taken to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital.
• Fourteen fire tenders were deployed; the first call was received at 3:47 AM, and the first tender arrived at 3:52 AM.
• The terrace door was locked, blocking an escape route; iron grills on windows hindered rescue.
• Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said a delivery agent spotted sparks in an AC outlet outside the building.

Blaze Erupts Before Dawn, Trapping Sleeping Residents

A fire that started in an air conditioning unit on the second floor of a residential building in Delhi’s Vivek Vihar neighbourhood quickly escalated into a deadly inferno early Sunday morning, killing nine people and injuring several others. The blaze, which broke out at around 3:13 AM, spread rapidly through household items and engulfed at least six flats on the second, third, and fourth floors. Many residents were asleep when the fire began, leaving them little time to react. A delivery agent who arrived at the building at the time noticed sparks coming from an AC outlet outside and alerted authorities, but by then the fire had already taken hold, president of the Delhi BJP. The first call to fire services came at 3:47 AM, and the first fire tender reached the scene at 3:52 AM.

Nine Victims Identified Across Three Floors

The victims included members of three families. On the second floor, five members of the Jain family died: Arvind (60), his wife Anita Jain (58), their son Nishant Jain (35), his wife Anchal Jain (33), and their 18-month-old child, Akash Jain. On the first floor, Shikha Jain (45), wife of Naveen Jain, was found dead. On the third floor, Nitin Jain (50), his wife Shailey Jain (48), and their son Samyak Jain (25) also perished. Naveen Jain (48) sustained injuries but survived. The bodies were recovered from different locations: one from the first floor, five from the second floor, and three from a locked staircase. They were handed over to Delhi Police.

Rescue Efforts Hampered by Locked Terrace and Grilles

Firefighters rescued between 12 and 15 people, using ladders placed against balconies to evacuate residents from the front of the building. However, the rescue was severely hampered by a locked terrace door, which blocked an escape route, and iron grilles on windows that prevented easy access. Residents of two flats at the back of the top floor could not get out, a local resident. He noted that while people from the front-side flats were rescued, they did not alert others in the building, leaving those in the back asleep and unaware. The fire took nearly two hours to bring under control, with 14 fire tenders deployed by 5 AM.

Suspected Short Circuit or AC Blast Under Investigation

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, but preliminary accounts point to a short circuit or a blast in an air conditioner on the second floor. seeing sparking in the AC outlet outside the building. BJP MLA Sanjay Goel told reporters that while a short circuit is suspected, some witnesses have mentioned an AC blast. A resident named Rohit told news agency ANI that a blast in the AC triggered the fire. Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajendra Prasad Meena confirmed that nine people had lost their lives and that the fire was found in flats on the second, third, and fourth floors. The Delhi Police, along with DDMA personnel, traffic police, and local authorities, supported the firefighting operation.

Community Mourns as Questions Over Safety Linger

The tragedy has raised concerns about fire safety in residential buildings in Delhi, particularly the presence of locked exits and iron grilles that can trap residents during emergencies. The building, which housed eight flats, saw its second floor nearly destroyed by the flames. Local residents expressed grief and frustration. One resident who lost a friend and his family said the fire was so intense that it took two hours for officials to control it. Another resident, Charanjit Singh, lamented that the failure to alert others in the building contributed to the loss of life. The Delhi government has expressed condolences and promised support to the families of the deceased.

Investigation Continues as Officials Seek Answers

Authorities are continuing to investigate the incident, with a focus on the electrical wiring and the AC unit that may have sparked the fire. The Delhi Police have not yet established the identities of all the deceased, and search teams are still combing through the building. Virendra Sachdeva noted that sparking in wires, especially at night when people are sleeping, warrants a thorough investigation. The fire services received the first call at 3:45 AM, and 20 people were saved by authorities. The precise cause of the fire remains unconfirmed, but the incident has underscored the need for stricter safety regulations and better emergency preparedness in the city's residential buildings.

The bottom line

• Nine people died in a pre-dawn fire in a four-storey building in Vivek Vihar, Delhi, on Sunday.
• The fire is believed to have started from a short circuit or blast in an AC unit on the second floor.
• A locked terrace door and iron grilles on windows trapped residents, hindering escape and rescue.
• Five members of one family, including an 18-month-old child, died on the second floor.
• Twelve to fifteen people were rescued; two were hospitalized with minor injuries.
• The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, with officials examining electrical wiring.