NEW DELHI: A day after a fire was reported from a multi-storey building in West Delhi's Rajouri Garden, Delhi Police registered a case of negligence against the owner of the restaurant situated on the first floor. Police said the case was registered under sections of the BNS related to negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter and acts endangering the safety of others.
Police stated that, based on a preliminary investigation of the damage, they believe the fire originated from Jungle Jamboree restaurant situated on the first floor of the building. The owner will be summoned for questioning.
Police suspect that the fire may have started due to a short circuit, and a team will inspect the restaurant to ascertain the cause of the fire. The fire department received information about the incident at 2 pm. Ten fire tenders, along with 60 firefighters, were rushed to the spot. According to eyewitnesses, at least 80 people were saved.
According to a fire officer, the blaze was confined to the first and second floors only. There was minimal impact on the ground floor, and if the blaze started on the second floor, there would have been a higher risk of casualties or injuries. The second floor housed an animation institute, while the ground floor contained multiple shops. This led authorities to suspect that the fire originated on the first floor, where a restaurant was situated and maximum damage was done.
The restaurant was closed at the time of the incident. A faculty member at the animation institute, Neha, sustained minor injuries and is undergoing treatment. Fortunately, there were no burn injuries.
In videos of the incident that have gone viral on social media, thick smoke can be seen billowing out of the building. Several people, stranded on the roof, are seen jumping one by one, helped by bystanders on the adjacent terrace. The video also reveals students attempting to descend using a makeshift rope made of clothes.
According to MCD, Delhi Fire Services (DFS) withdrew the restaurant’s fire safety certificate, effective October 21. Following this, the licensee voluntarily surrendered the health trade licence, which was subsequently revoked on November 1. As a result, the restaurant was served with closure orders, bringing its operations to a halt.