A fire that broke out in a women's paying guest (PG) facility located in an apartment in Northwest Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar area prompted a swift response from firefighters who successfully rescued 35 individuals, including a four-year-old girl, from the blaze on Wednesday evening, news agency PTI reported citing officials.
According to fire department officials, five individuals, including the young girl, were transported to the hospital for treatment due to smoke inhalation. Although the fire department dispatched 20 firetenders to the scene, only eight were able to reach the location due to traffic congestion and narrow lanes.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal assured that he was closely monitoring the situation.
Fire department authorities received reports of the blaze at the Signature Apartments at 7:47 PM and promptly dispatched 20 fire tenders to the scene.
Delhi Chief Fire Service Officer Atul Garg reported, "Things are under control... there is no casualty and everyone has been evacuated." He added, "Fire is completely extinguished. There were around 35 girls, and all are safe." The fire appeared to have started near a meter board located near the staircase and subsequently spread to the upper floors. The building comprises a ground floor and three additional storeys, featuring only one staircase and a kitchen on the terrace, as per the PTI report.
The incident sent shockwaves through the area as flames engulfed the building. Videos from the scene depicted firefighters scaling ladders to rescue those trapped inside, accompanied by the blaring sirens of ambulances and firetenders.
According to the report, a fire official noted that due to the congested lanes in the area, it was a challenging task for the firetenders to reach the site.
"Despite deploying 20 units, only eight firetenders could reach the site. The units were stuck in traffic near Hanuman Mandir at Kashmere Gate and then at Vishwavidyalaya. We sought the help of the traffic control room, and they assisted our vehicles," the official explained.
Furthermore, the official highlighted that there are currently no regulations for paying guest accommodations that require them to obtain a fire No Objection Certificate (NOC), it said.
"Many guest houses that are unable to get a fire NOC are operating in the guise of PGs," the official stated.
Five residents, including the minor girl, found themselves trapped and needed assistance from firefighters to evacuate. Some others managed to escape on their own.
Aryan, the caretaker of the PG house, revealed, "There are 45 beds in the paying guest accommodation. There were 33-34 people inside when the fire started in the meter board."
Kejriwal expressed his sorrow over the incident, saying, "This incident of fire in a PG in Mukherjee Nagar area is extremely saddening. The district administration and fire department have been instructed to safely evacuate the children present in the PG as soon as possible. I am constantly keeping an eye on it."
This incident follows a fire in June at Bhandari House in Mukherjee Nagar's Batra Complex, which raised concerns about fire safety standards in the densely populated area, known for its numerous coaching centers.