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South Delhi fire: Search on for missing survivor; petrol canister may have led to blaze
Preliminary findings point to the ignition of a petrol canister inside the ground-floor footwear shop as the likely trigger for the blaze, officers said on Monday.
A view of the four-storey building after the fire on Saturday. (ANI)
The Delhi Police are searching for a man who escaped from the four-storey building in South Delhi’s Tigri area moments before it was engulfed in flames on Saturday, killing four people.
Preliminary findings point to the ignition of a petrol canister inside the ground-floor footwear shop as the likely trigger for the blaze, officers said on Monday.
The fire broke out around 6:24 pm in a densely populated lane and spread quickly through the stacks of leather and plastic footwear kept inside the store. Of the four who died, police have so far identified the shop owner Satender (38) and his sister, Anita (40). The other two deceased are believed to be among three friends — Ramdin, Manglo, and Mahendar — all from Najafgarh, who had come to purchase shoes.
“The survivor has not contacted the police or the victims’ families till now. Efforts are on to trace him,” a senior police officer said, adding that his account is crucial to establishing the sequence of events. A 40-year-old woman, Mamta, who was in the vicinity, sustained 25% burns and is undergoing treatment, said police. “We think the third man might be hospitalised and is still under treatment.. ,” said the officer.
“The two men’s DNA samples were taken during their post-mortem examination. The results are still awaited. We think the third man might be hospitalised or still undergoing treatment. We are in touch with all three men’s families. Whenever he contacts his family, we will know his whereabouts,” said the officer.
On Sunday, crime and forensics teams spent several hours inside the sealed building collecting samples of burnt wiring and remnants of footwear. Police said the rapid spread of fire was consistent with the presence of synthetic materials which were stored in bulk at the store.
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