Fire breaks out in house in northwest Delhi, no casualties

A fire broke out in a residential building in northwest Delhi’s Majlis Park area, prompting a massive firefighting and evacuation operation, police said on Sunday.

No casualties were reported in the incident that took place on Saturday night, they said.

According to the police, a PCR call reporting the blaze was received at 9.18 pm on Saturday following which a police team from Adarsh Nagar immediately rushed to the spot.

At least 25 police personnel were deployed to manage the situation and evacuate residents from nearby houses as a precautionary measure.

“The narrow lanes leading to the building made it difficult for fire tenders to reach the spot quickly. Before the arrival of the fire brigade, police personnel attempted to contain the blaze using nearby water pipes while simultaneously ensuring the safety of local residents,” a senior police officer said.

During the operation, a gas cylinder exploded inside the building, forcing police personnel to move to a safe distance. Fire brigade teams later took over the firefighting operation. Two more blasts were heard during the incident, which police suspect were caused by the outdoor units of air conditioners installed in the building.

Five fire tenders were pressed into service to bring the blaze under control, the officer said.

Police said nearly 1,000 people had gathered in the street near the affected building, but timely crowd management and evacuation by the police, along with firefighting efforts by the Delhi Fire Services, prevented any loss of life.

Police said the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained and further investigation is underway.