Deadly fires claim 48 lives so far in Delhi

New Delhi: December of 2019 was the deadliest month in five years for the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), according to officials in the department. The figures available with the fire service show that 2,437 distress calls were received in December. In addition to this, a total 603 distress calls were received at the fire services’ control room from new year’s day till January 10.

In December alone, 46 people died in four fatal incidents in different parts of the city.

In the wake of Friday’s incident, a high-level meeting comprising top government and DFS officials was convened to find out the reasons behind the deadly Delhi fires.

The DFS is worried about the increasing number of deaths in the fire incidents. In fact, the factories where the blaze broke out, were found ignoring fire safety norms.

Moreover, commercial activities are being carried out in residential areas without proper fire prevention arrangements.

Such ignorance helped the infernos turn deadly within no time. Fire department officials have suggested that people should be made aware of the fire safety measures.

In fact, even minor fire incidents led to the death of people in Delhi.

According to the officials, a major fire claimed at least 43 lives and left several people injured on December 8 in Anaj Mandi area because highly inflammable items were blocking the passages, and narrow lanes to the building restricted the firemen’s access.

“Safety measures were not available at the places where the incidents took place. Sufficient facilities are also not available for entry and exit in the factories and in houses which are illegally operating commercial activities,” DFS Chief Fire Officer Atul Garg told IANS.

In most of the incidents, the fire was caused by a short circuit as people owning the old buildings that house factories as well, have installed lesser capacity equipment which cannot bear the load, Garg said.

Often, due to lack of awareness people keep inflammables near electrical and mechanical equipment, that works as a conductor in spreading the fire, he said, adding that they should be made aware.

Fire timeline:

* December 8: A big fire broke out early in the morning in Delhi’s Anaj Mandi. At least 43 people died and DFS personnel rescued several people while 53 people were injured in the fire. According to a senior Delhi Police official 59 people were inside the factory operating from a residential area when the blaze broke out.

* December 23: In a residence-cum-cloth godown fire near Fauzi vatika, Prem Nagar Kirari, three persons died and 12 persons were rescued.

* December 24: In the industrial area of Narela a fire broke out in a shoe factory due to a cylinder blast. Three fireman got injured during the rescue operation.

* December 26: A major fire tragedy was averted in east Delhi’s Krishna Nagar by timely action taken by firemen who rescued 40 people from the building.

* January 2: A rire broke out in a factory at Udyog Nagar, Peeragarhi in which fireman Amit Kumar Baliyan died while he was rescuing trapped workers. The Delhi government announced Rs 1 crore as financial assistance to his family.

* January 9: A fire broke in Patparganj industrial area in a printing press building. One person died and several were rescued by the DFS.

IANS