New Delhi: Three persons including a woman and her 10-year-old daughter were killed while a dozen others sustained burn injuries in a fire which broke out in a four-storeyed building at Mohan Park of New Shahdara area in north east Delhi early this morning.
A call was received by Delhi Fire Services at 5:06 am about fire breaking out in the parking area of a house. The fire spread through the four-storeyed building, said a senior official from Delhi Fire Services.
Police said that the cause of fire was under investigation but prima facie short circuit was believed to be cause behind it as many e-rickshaws in the parking of building were plugged on for charging.
Ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot to control the blaze and it was brought under control by 6:30 am, Fire Services official said.
The deceased were identified as Sanjay, 36, Rajni, 30, and her daughter Kareena, 10, while a dozen others who sustained burn injuries were admitted to GTB Hospital for treatment, said A K Singla, DCP(north east).
Delhi Labour minister Gopal Rai visited the injured persons at GTB hospital and announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the family members of the 10 injured persons.
Police said that over two dozen persons were sleeping in the eight flats of the building when the fire broke out. A few of them managed to escape while others were trapped inside as the fire had started from its parking.
A case of causing death due to negligence has been registered at Shahdara police station, the DCP said.
Police said that the families of four brothers Anil, Pradeep, Satish and Kanhaiya lived in the four flats on 2nd and 3rd floors of the building.
Kanhaiya reportedly gave e-rickshaws on rent which were parked in the parking area below the building. Some of the nearly a dozen e-rickshaws kept there were plugged on for charging which suspectedly caused fire due to short circuit. The fire also engulfed other vehicles parked there, they said.
The heavy smoke and flames of fire trapped the residents inside the building. Locals rushed to help them and some of the trapped occupants of the building were rescued with the help of ladders.
Later, fire fighters and police rescued others and took them out.
—PTI