Vivek Vihar fire: At least nine people, including a 1.5-year-old toddler, died after a massive fire broke out in a residential building in east Delhi’s Vivek Vihar early Sunday morning, with firefighters rescuing nearly 20 people.
Delhi Fire Services officials said they received a call about the fire at 3:47 am and rushed several teams to the spot. A total of 14 fire engines were part of the rescue efforts by 5 a.m.
According to officials, the fire first caught fire in household items and quickly spread to at least six apartments.
Suspected AC short circuit
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva spoke to reporters, saying the fire started due to a spark in the air conditioning unit.
He added: “Fire services received the first call at 3:45 am, and the first fire brigade arrived at the site at 3:52 am. About 14 fire engines were deployed, and the authorities rescued 20 people.”
However, such sparks in wires, especially at night when people are sleeping, need to be investigated, Sachdeva said.
He expressed his condolences and said that the Delhi government stands with the relatives of the deceased during this difficult hour.
Moreover, the Delhi BJP president stated that the delivery agent, who reached the building at that time, detected the fire first. Sachdeva added that by the time he realized what had happened, the situation had worsened.
He added: “In his statement to the police, the delivery agent said that he detected a spark in the AC outlet outside.”
As the fire quickly spread through the building and residents tried to get out, the balcony door was also closed, blocking another escape route, Sachdeva told reporters.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Sanjay Goel told reporters, “A short circuit is said to be the main reason behind this accident. However, some say it happened due to an explosion in the air conditioner.”
A suspected electrical short in the air conditioner on the second floor appeared to be the root cause of the accident. A family of five died in the fire that broke out on the ground.
This matter is being investigated.
Nine dead
Police have identified the nine deceased and shared details. The deceased was initially identified as 45-year-old Shikha Jain.
Those living on the second floor, a family of five, have been identified as Arvind (60), Anita Jain (58), Nishant Jain (35), Aanchal Jain (33) and Master Akash Jain (1.5).
A family of three was killed on the third floor. They have been identified as Nitin Jain (50), Shelly Jain (48) and Samyak Jain (25).
Among those injured in the fire was another resident of the building, Navin Jain (48 years old).
The remains of the nine deceased have been shifted to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, and preliminary identification is underway.
“I saw the back side of the building burning.”
Mayank, a resident of the first floor, said he was sleeping when neighbors came and rang his doorbell several times.
“When I woke up, I saw the back of the building was on fire. I somehow managed to escape from my house. The entire staircase was blocked by the fire. Residents of the apartments at the back of the building were trapped because there was no escape. Their balcony was blocked by a net,” he told HT.
Ruchi Arora (60 years old), another resident of the first floor, said that they “remained stuck inside for an hour and a half,” after which the fire department rescued them.
CM says incident ‘very tragic’
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta took to X and said that the incident at Vivek Vihar was “extremely tragic”, adding that the loss of nine lives in the fire had left her “deeply depressed”.
She added: “The treatment of those injured in the accident is still continuing at the nearest hospital, and I pray for their speedy recovery. In this hour of grief, I offer my condolences to the affected families. I pray to God to give them the strength to endure this difficult time.”
She added that all concerned parties are fully involved in relief and rescue operations, adding that the situation is being monitored continuously.
“Our local MLAs and panchayats are also extending their support to the relief efforts. The Delhi government stands firmly with the affected families in every situation during this difficult time,” Gupta added.
Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, also offered condolences for the lives lost in a post on X. He said that the authorities have been directed to ensure all necessary assistance is provided to those injured and affected by the accident.
