The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Delhi government after a fire in Vivek Vihar killed at least nine people. AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj accused the administration of failing to learn from previous tragedies and questioned its response to frequent fire incidents in the region.
In a strongly worded post on X, Bhardwaj said: “Shame on the capital! Another fire incident in Delhi’s Vivek Vihar. Nine people were burnt alive in this fire.”
He went on to claim that “while CM Rekha Gupta was busy making reels with multiple edits, she seems to have learned nothing from the previous fire incidents in Delhi.”
He added: “The government’s insensitivity is evident in every aspect of its governance.”
CM Gupta calls the incident ‘very tragic’
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed her sadness over the loss of life and described the incident as “extremely tragic.”
The fire broke out early Sunday morning in a residential building in Vivek Vihar in East Delhi’s Shahdara area. Police said at least nine people were killed in the fire, including a 1.5-year-old toddler.
It said authorities were closely monitoring the situation and that “all senior officials of the local administration, Delhi Disaster Management Authority, Delhi Fire Service and Delhi Police… are fully and expeditiously participating in the relief and rescue operations.”
Emergency teams were able to rescue more than a dozen residents during the operation, although the fire caused severe damage to the building.
The pattern of fires raises concerns
The latest incident has once again drawn attention to an alarming pattern of fires in the Vivek Vihar district over the past few years.
In May 2024, a devastating fire at BabyCare Neonatal Hospital killed seven infants. The fire, which was reported at 11.32pm, had already engulfed the building by the time emergency services arrived. Twelve newborn babies were trapped inside and were later transferred to another facility, but six of them were pronounced dead shortly after, while a seventh died days later.
Investigations revealed serious lapses. The hospital’s license had expired months before the fire, but it continued to operate. Only five beds were approved for the neonatal intensive care unit, but 12 beds were put into operation in a cramped space that did not meet basic requirements.
A previous fire in a slum had claimed the baby’s life
Another fire in December last year in a Vivek Vihar slum also led to death. A one-year-old boy died from burns, while his four-year-old sister suffered serious burns.
According to police, the children were on a bed near the kitchen where their mother was cooking on a gas stove. She moved away briefly when the fire broke out and quickly spread to the bed.
