Delhi: 7 dead in late night fire at slum, 35 shanties gutted

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the adults who died in the mishap, Rs 5 lakh each for the deceased children, and Rs 25,000 each to those whose jhuggis were burnt.

At least seven people were killed and 60 shanties were gutted in Northeast Delhi’s Gokulpuri area. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

Additional DCP (Northeast) Devesh Kumar Mahla said police had received the call around 1.05 am and that around 30-35 jhuggis had caught fire. He said the fire brigade, personnel from the Forensic Science Laboratory at Rohini, and the Northeast district crime team were at the spot on Saturday, but the exact cause of the fire is not known yet. “The teams will look into the points they have and submit a report to us,” he said.

According to Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg, they were informed about the blaze around 1 am. “When there is a fire like this in jhuggis, everything burns down since it is all combustible material. The jhuggis are very close to each other, and the fire spreads quickly. The bodies that were retrieved were charred,” he said.

Raveena, who stayed in a nearby shanty, lost five members of her family in the fire – her two brothers, Ranjit and Babloo; her sister, Reshma; pregnant sister-in-law, Priyanka; and nephew Shahenshah. “I just want to see them one last time, but I was told they are not recognisable. I don’t want anything, just bring them back. Let me see them one last time,” said a distraught Raveena.

The exact cause of the fire is not known yet. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna)

The other two victims, Roshan and Deepika, were also minors. Their uncle Vijay said this was the second fire in the area. “People were screaming there was a fire… I just ask the government to help us so that our kids are not burnt to death again,” he said, with folded hands.

Several others lost all their money and belongings in the fire. A number of them had weddings in the family post-Holi, due to which a large amount of cash was also kept in the house. The residents of the jhuggi-jhopdi colony are labourers, most of whom trace their roots back to Kanpur or Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, although many of them have been living in Delhi for the last 15 or more years. Most of them earn living by fixing zips on jackets and jeans, and by making and selling lemons and chillies sewn together on a string – hung outside shops and behind vehicles to ward off evil.

Follow |Delhi News Live: 7 killed as fire breaks out in shanties in northest Delhi; CM Kejriwal, President, PM offer condolences

Meanwhile, Kejriwal visited the area around 2 pm to take stock of the situation. Climbing on the roof of his car after being surrounded by the crowd, he said, “I am your son, your brother and I will support you no matter what; the Delhi government will provide financial assistance to every victim. We can’t make up for your agony but will provide financial assistance to every family who has lost a loved one. Underprivileged families face a host of difficulties in setting up a jhuggi; it is very painful to see someone die in such circumstances.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind also tweeted their condolences. “The fire incident in Delhi’s Gokulpuri is heart-wrenching. I express my deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this accident. May God give them the strength to bear this immense sorrow,” tweeted Modi.

“The news of many casualties in the fire accident in Gokulpuri, Delhi is extremely sad. I express my condolences to all the bereaved families and wish the injured a speedy recovery,” said the President.

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, who also visited the area, however, demanded a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the next of kin of those who died and also demanded a judicial inquiry.