Two fire incidents reported in Delhi; six injured after jumping off buildings in panic

An official said a call regarding the incident was received around 11 am. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the flames were brought under control around 1.50 pm, and subsequently doused.

Five of the injured persons were sent to Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital, while the sixth one was admitted to a government hospital in Burari. According to officials, all of them jumped from buildings adjacent to the unit where the fire started and are currently out of danger.

The blaze at the godown in Dallupura near Dharamshila Cancer Hospital in East Delhi started around 3.30 pm.

According to DFS officials, a total of around 25 fire tenders were deployed at the site. While no injuries were reported, the fire was declared “under control” only around 9.30 pm, with firefighting and cooling operations underway till late in the night.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer (Fire Prevention Wing) for the Delhi Fire Service, M K Chattopadhyay, said the fire control room received a call about the Dallupra blaze around 3.30 pm. “Initially, four to five fire tenders were sent, but later the fire spread in the entire godown and it was declared under the ‘upper category’. It was declared under the ‘medium category’ around 5.17-5.18 pm. Later, more fire tenders were pressed into service,” Chattopadhyay said.

There were electric panels, wooden materials and chemicals at the godown. “When fire officials reached the spot, the godown was engulfed in thick black smoke, making firefighting operations difficult,” the officer said.

Meanwhile, one of the fire officials, who fell unconscious after inhaling smoke, was taken to a hospital.

“The godown was located on a large plot in the middle of the congested Dallupura village. As a precautionary measure, residents of neighbouring houses vacated their homes during the fire,” an official said.

Officials also said that some workers, who were inside the premises when the fire broke out, had managed to step out safely.

The incident in Dallupura also led to a traffic snarl on the Noida Link Road, with people stopping their vehicles to watch and record videos of the massive blaze. The thick cloud of smoke billowing from the fire could be seen from several kilometres away.

Police said they are yet to ascertain what triggered the fire at both the units.