A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team is carrying out a search and rescue operation in the four-story building in Mundka on Saturday. (Express)Delhi Live News: After 27 people died in a fire at a four-storey office complex in Mundka, the Delhi Police on Sunday arrested the building owner, identified as Manish lakra. “We have nabbed Manish lakra. Raids were done and he was nabbed, said DCP (outer) Sameer Sharma. The building has no fire NOC and clearance from the MCD. Most of those killed in the fire were young women who had taken up jobs to support their families. Of the 27 confirmed deaths so far, 21 were women. Till now, only 8 victims including 5 women, have been identified. A list of 29 missing persons, including 24 women, who went missing after the incident.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for families of those who died in the fire in Mundka on Friday. Those who have sustained injuries will be given Rs 50,000 as compensation. Kejriwal has also ordered a magisterial probe into the incident.
On the weather front, heatwave conditions are predicted for the national capital on Sunday, when the maximum temperature could settle at around 45 degree Celsius. At the Safdarjung weather observatory, which provides a marker for the city, the maximum temperature recorded on Saturday was 44.2 degrees Celsius, five degrees above normal for this time of the year.
Firefighters try to douse a fire which broke out in a building at Mundka, in West Delhi, Friday, May 13, 2022.
Delhi Police on Sunday issued a notice to Rajasthan Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Mahesh Joshi’s son, Rohit Joshi, asking him to join the investigation by May 18 at 1 pm in Sadar Bazar police station. Delhi Police has registered an FIR after a 23-year-old woman alleged that she was raped by a Rajasthan minster’s son in Jaipur and Delhi last year.
Virpal, brother of Asha, 30, one of the missing people in the fire at Mundka, has been waiting at the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial hospital for the past 3 hours and has got no response from the hospital. 'She was like a mother to me. She made breakfast and packed lunch for me before going to work. After that I didn't get to speak to her because her office people collect phones of all employees. I am standing here since morning and running from hospital to police station. I have to give blood sample to get the DNA test done but hospital people are referring to police and police is asking to speak to emergency or mortuary. I am helpless, I don't know what to do. My brother in law and parents are on their way from UP,' said Virpal, sister of Asha,30. She worked at thr RO manufacturing unit on third floor.
More than two days after fire at a four-storey office complex in Mundka, families of relatives still missing await a response. Govind Gupta and Subhash Gupta, waiting at the mortuary at Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital as their relative, Praveen Gupta, is still missing. Praveen was working at the company for over nine years. His motorcycle, they claim, is still parked outside the building.
After 27 people died in a fire at at a four-storey office complex in Mundka, the Delhi Police on Sunday arrested the building owner, identified as Manish lakra. “We have nabbed Manish lakra. Raids were done and he was nabbed, said DCP (outer) Sameer Sharma. The building has no fire NOC and clearance from the MCD.
A team of Delhi Police reached at Rajasthan Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Mahesh Joshi’s house in Jaipur to arrest his son, Rohit Joshi, but he was found to be absconding. Delhi Police has registered an FIR after a 23-year-old woman alleged that she was raped by a Rajasthan minster’s son in Jaipur and Delhi last year.
Most of those killed in the fire at a four-storey office complex in Mundka, West Delhi, on Friday were young women who had taken up jobs to support their families, particularly after the pandemic. Of the 27 confirmed deaths so far, 21 were women. While only eight victims, including five women, have been identified so far, 24 of the 29 in the missing persons’ list prepared by police – who are feared to be among the dead — are women.
A distraught Sunitha Devi sat outside the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital on Saturday, waiting to hear about Sonam, her 20-year-old daughter, who had not returned from her workplace in Mundka on Friday.
Till Saturday afternoon, Sonam’s family had not been able to identify her among the dead who were brought to the hospital. They had gone to the site in Mundka, hoping for some leads, but the police there were not able to offer any information, said Anurag, Sonam’s cousin.
“She was working in a company that dealt with cameras and WiFi. Her job had to do with connecting the antenna to the WiFi router. Her father died of Covid in May last year, and since she is the eldest daughter, she began working,” Anurag said. Sonam has two siblings, a younger brother and sister, who waited outside the hospital along with Sunitha Devi. “Since her brother is still underage and cannot start working, she decided to step in. Her brother had helped her land this job,” Anurag said. Read full story here
Punjabi Bagh SDM Gurpreet Singh said, "Total eight dead bodies have been identified. The bodies have been handed over to the families after the post-mortem."
Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta, visiting families of victims at Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, said, "If the fire brigade had come on time, many lives could have been saved. Who will take responsibility of this? There should be a judicial enquiry and report should be out in 48 hours," said Gupta. "Only releasing compensation does not absolve the government of its responsibility."
1) Tania Bhushan, d/o Chandra Bhushan
2) Mohini Pal, w/o Vijay Pal
3) Yashoda Devi, w/o Vishwajit
4) Ranju Devi, w/o Santosh
5) Vishal, s/o Mithlesh
6) Drishti, s/o Ganpat
7) Kailash Jyani, s/o Bahadur Ram Jyani
-- from DCP Sameer Sharma
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday expressed grief over the fatal Delhi fire accident that killed 27 people. "Extremely pained by the tragic loss of so many lives in Delhi Fire accident. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of victims and wishing the injured a speedy recovery," Stalin said in a tweet.
The Mundka building which was ravaged by a fire that claimed 27 lives had a single entry and exit point, which could explain the reason for the high number of casualties, a senior fire department officer said on Saturday. The building also did not have a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the fire department, the officer added.
The fire started from the first floor of the building that houses the office of a CCTV camera and router manufacturing and assembling company on Friday. The owners of the company, Harish Goel and his brother Varun Goel, who were detained earlier, have been arrested, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Sameer Sharma said. The building owner has been booked as well. In videos that emerged on social media, people could be heard crying for help while others were seen jumping from the building in a desperate attempt to escape the flames.
"The rescue operation is over. The building had a single escape route which is the reason for so many casualties," said Atul Garg, Director, Delhi Fire Service. Garg said they recovered some more charred remains on Saturday morning and the death told could rise up to 30. He said it was difficult to identify whether the remains were of one person or more. (PTI)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday condoled the loss of lives in a fire that ripped through a four-storey building in outer Delhi's Mundka and said the incident was "heartbreaking."
"The loss of lives in an unfortunate and horrific fire incident in Delhi yesterday is extremely sad and heartbreaking. My condolences are with the bereaved family members. I pray that may Lord Shri Ram grant peace to the souls of the departed and help the injured make a speedy recovery," Adityanath said in a tweet in Hindi. (PTI)
The Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Delhi has set up a help desk where people injured in yesterday’s incident of fire at Mundka have been admitted. Civil Defence Officer, SP Tomar said, “This is to help the people whose loved ones are missing or injured, so that they get the correct info”
19-year-old Preeti recalled the fire incident at Mundka and said that the smoke had engulfed the room making it difficult for them to move.
'...We were trapped. We tried breaking the glass windows using the tables and chairs. Some tried to escape from a space through an AC window. People were crying...I grabbed a rope thrown by some neighbours and jumped. My hand was burnt. Many I know are missing,' she said.
Delhi Fire Services Chief Atul Garg Saturday said that the near Mundka metro station had no fire NOC and clearance from the MCD. “It seems the entire building was illegal,” Garg said. Garg added that the rescue operation was over.
Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal Saturday offered his condolences to the victims of the fire accident at a building near Mundka metro station. "Deeply pained by the tragic fire incident in Mundka, Delhi. Despite best rescue efforts many precious lives were lost. My deepest Condolences to the bereaved families and prayers for speedy recovery of those injured," he said.
Out of the 27 people who died after a massive fire broke out at a commerical building near Mundka metro station on Friday, the Delhi police has identified six bodies. Meanwhile, rescue operations continued at the fire incident site.
BJP MP Hans Raj Hans Saturday visited the site where at least 27 have been killed after a massive fire broke out in a commerical building near Mundka metro station on Friday. "It's an unfortunate tragedy. The magnitude of the tragedy can be judged by the horrific scenes, where people were seen climbing down from broken ladders to escape. Strict action should be taken against all who are responsible, whether its the owner, the builder, the agencies who give NOC...An enquiry should be conducted. Our thoughts are with bereaved families," Hans said.