In the worst fire accident since the 1997 Uphaar Cinema tragedy in the national capital, 43 people died when a massive blaze ripped through a four-storey building housing illegal manufacturing units in north Delhi's congested Anaj Mandi area on Sunday.
Police and fire department officials said most of the fatalities occurred due to suffocation as many people were sleeping when the fire started around 5 am on the second floor of the building that did not have fire safety clearance.
Those awakened by the fire, suspected by officials to have been triggered by a short-circuit due to "internal system" trouble, had to struggle to escape as the exit routes were partially blocked and several windows were found sealed.
The fire was first reported at 5:22am after which 30 fire tenders were rushed, officials said.
Nearly 150 firefighters worked to pull out 63 people from the building. While 43 labourers died, many others were injured including two fire department personnel, they said.
The injured included a minor. However, it was not confirmed whether the injured worked in the units but most of the labourers were migrants.
The narrow lanes of Anaj Mandi area made rescue operations difficult for firefighters, who had to cut window-grills to get access to the building. A preliminary probe suggested that a short-circuit triggered the blaze. Power discom BYPL said the fire began due to "internal system" trouble.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the fire incident as "extremely horrific" and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said it was "very, very tragic".
Modi and Kejriwal also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 10 lakh each for the next of kin of those who lost their lives.
Kejriwal also announced Rs 1 lakh for the injured and said his government will bear the cost of their treatment.
The prime minister approved Rs 50,000 each for those seriously injured. The amount will be paid from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund, the PMO said in a tweet.
The Delhi government has ordered a probe into the incident and sought a detailed report within seven days. North Delhi Mayor Avtar Singh said he has asked the municipal commissioner to form a team which will visit the site and probe the exact cause of the fire.
Police said they have registered a case against the property owner.
Chaotic scenes were witnessed at the site, clogged with bystanders and politicians arriving in convoys. Firemen made their way through narrow lanes to rescue those trapped inside the blackened building and carried many unconscious labourers on their backs.
As the building lacked proper ventilation, most of the people died due to asphyxia.
Aditya Pratap Singh, deputy commander, NDRF said they detected carbon monoxide (CO) in the building. "The entire third and fourth floor was engulfed with smoke. The content of CO was more."
He said when the team started the operation, it found some windows sealed.
At the hospitals where the dead and injured were taken LNJP Hospital and Lady Hardinge hospital, distraught relatives had a hard time finding their family members.
Manoj, 23, a resident of Begusarai in Bihar, said his brother Naveen, 18, worked in a handbag manufacturing unit operating at the building.
"I got a call from his friend informing that he has been injured in the incident. I have no clue which hospital he has been taken to," he said.
An unidentified elderly man whose three nephews worked at the building said, "At least 12-15 machines were installed in the unit. I have no idea about the factory owner. My nephews Mohammed Imran and Ikramuddin were inside the factory. I don't know their whereabouts."
Firoz Khan, 32, who worked in a cap-manufacturing unit on the third floor, escaped unhurt. He said the fire started on the second floor.
"When I got up, I saw flames engulfing the room we were sleeping in. The door was around 6 meters from me and I alerted other workers sleeping near me," he said. "Four-five of us rushed out through the door. Many sleeping away from the door got stuck. I don't know if they are alive."
Thirty-four people were brought dead to LNJP hospital and smoke inhalation was the primary cause of death. Some of the bodies were charred, Dr Kishore Singh, Medical Superintendent, LNJP, said.
Out of the 15 injured brought to LNJP, nine are under observation and others had partial injuries, he said.
Nine people were brought dead to Lady Hardinge hospital.
This was the worst fire accident in Delhi since the 1997 Uphaar Cinema tragedy that claimed 59 lives.
As the news spread, a host of leaders expressed shock over the loss of lives in the tragedy.
"The fire in Delhi's Anaj Mandi on Rani Jhansi Road is extremely horrific. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. Wishing the injured a quick recovery," the prime minister said in a tweet.
"Authorities are providing all possible assistance at the site of the tragedy," he said
Kejriwal and his cabinet colleagues Imran Hussain and Satyendra Jain visited the site.
Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi condoled the loss of lives.
Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri, Anurag Thakur, BJP MPs Manoj Tiwari and Vijay Goel also visited the area.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh also condoled the loss of lives in the tragedy.
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