emergencies
Three arrested after house fire kills 27 in India
Burned down – the commercial building in New Delhi, where 27 people died. Photo: Naveen Sharma/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
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Some escaped the flames by jumping outside, others didn’t make it: 27 people died in a devastating house fire in India’s capital, New Delhi.
Dramatic scenes in India’s capital New Delhi: 27 people died in a major fire in a commercial building. Twelve others were injured in the fire at the four-storey house in western Mundka district on Friday, Delhi fire chief Atul Garg told reporters.
News channels released videos showing some people jumping out of windows to escape. As of Sunday, three people were arrested, including the owner of the building. A short circuit was suspected to be the cause of the fire.
Eruption on the first floor
The fire broke out on the first floor of the house that housed a company that manufactures security cameras. The easily combustible material used there, such as plastic and cardboard boxes, caught fire. The flames spread to other floors and formed a huge conflagration, Garg said. The building, he said, had neither a safety certificate from the fire department nor was it equipped with fire protection equipment.
At least 50 people were rescued from the building on Saturday night, it said. Most of the victims are said to have been employees of the company. Only eight have been identified so far, with many burned beyond recognition, a senior police officer said.
Owner also caught
The two company owners – two brothers – were arrested on Saturday on suspicion of disregarding fire regulations. The owner of the building initially went into hiding but was caught on Sunday morning after several raids. Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences to the families of the victims. Authorities announced compensation.
Accidents and fires are relatively common in India. Poor fire protection systems, lack of emergency exits and outdated electrical systems are often the causes. In 2019, a fire at a factory in Delhi killed 43 people.