Two children charred to death, 800 shanties gutted in fire at Delhi slum

Fire officials said the tenders were unable to enter the narrow lanes, surrounded by boundary walls of a nearby society, and it took them more than three hours to douse the flames.

According to a DFS statement, a call was received at 11.55 am that thick plumes of smoke were coming out of the jhuggi. A total of 20 fire tenders were rushed to the spot.

Officials said that by 3.20 pm, most of the fire was doused and cooling operations were initiated. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)

Officials said at 2.05 pm, the bodies of two children, a 2.5-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy, were found. A man, Shabul Sheikh, 27, sustained injuries. Officials said the children have not yet been identified, and a search for other missing people continued.

Even as the reason for the blaze is yet to be ascertained, officers said it started from one jhuggi and quickly spread to the others. “It is possible that LPG cylinders inside the jhuggis burst, which fuelled the blaze,” a DFS official said.

By 3.20 pm, the blaze was largely under control, and cooling operations were initiated, as per the DFS.

Video footage of the incident showed charred trees at the entrance to the jhuggi, with fire officials trying to douse the flames.

Video footage of the incident showed charred trees at the entrance of the jhuggi area, with fire officials still trying to douse the fire. (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav)

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, in a post on X, expressed her condolences and wrote: “… the Delhi government is taking all necessary measures to support the victims. The local MLA & SDM immediately reached the site to coordinate relief efforts, including the provision of mobile toilets, medical assistance & food for the affected residents.”

“Displaced families are being shifted to nearby schools, where temporary shelters and all essential facilities are being arranged for their well-being,” she added.

Leader of Opposition Atishi criticised CM Gupta for not visiting the spot. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj reached the spot and met the victims’ families.

In another incident, a blaze was reported in a forest area between Laxmi Nagar and ITO. The area comes under the Shakarpur police station.

“A call was received at 12.08 pm about a loop of trees in the forest area, near the road towards ITO, catching fire. Initially, two fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Later, another fire tender was dispatched. No casualties or injuries have been reported,” a DFS official said.