Four-storey building goes up in flames, 40 rescued

Most of the occupants managed to reach rooftop, which made the rescue operation easy: DFS director

A major tragedy was averted and 40 people were rescued from a building in east Delhi after a fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday.

Delhi Fire Service Director Atul Garg said that plastic waste and scarp were stored on the ground floor of the four-storey building in Krishna Nagar, while people lived on the upper floors. The building had only one staircase for entry and exit.

The officer said that they received a call at 2.10 a.m. and five fire tenders were rushed to the spot. As the caller gave correct information, they could act swiftly. All the residents went to the terrace after the fire broke out and hence, the rescue operation was easy compared to other such incidents, he said.

Forty people were rescued from the building and the fire was doused by 4 a.m.

“We heard people screaming for help from the terrace. During the operation, the team was split into two with one trying to control the fire and the other rushing to the upper floors to rescue those trapped inside,” said Santosh Kumar, Station Officer of Delhi Fire Service, Mandwali unit, who headed the operation.

The fire had started from the scrap on the ground floor. When those on upper floors sensed smoke, they ran towards the terrace. Most of them managed to reach the rooftop, though some couldn’t. But all of them were rescued.