Editor Mr.Mayank Rawat ( Chief Editor Mr. Rohit Mishra )
NEW DELHI: A massive fire ripped through 800 jhuggis at a JJ cluster near Shri Niketan Apartments in Rohini’s Sector 17 Sunday, claiming the lives of two toddlers and leaving a 28-year-old man battling critical injuries.
Some 2,500 people were left homeless in the blaze that engulfed a five-acre area densely packed with jhuggis. The bodies of the victims, a two-and-a-half-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy, were recovered from separate shacks. Both were declared ‘brought dead’ in hospital.
A 28-year-old man, Shabul Sheikh, suffered serious burns. Firefighters battled for over three hours to douse the blaze. The slum cluster, mainly populated by ragpickers, is surrounded by apartment buildings on all sides, making access difficult.
According to Delhi Fire Services (DFS), a call regarding the fire was received at 11.55am. “Immediately, 26 fire tenders were dispatched, and around 150 firefighters were involved in the firefighting operation,” a DFS official said.
Fire tenders could not reach the interior lanes and had to be stationed on the main road, with water pipes extending deep into the cluster.
“The flames leapt from one jhuggi to the next in no time. There were highly flammable substances inside the homes. Small gas cylinders, which residents used for cooking, also exploded inside several shacks. Some homes were connected to a gas pipeline as well, which had to be immediately shut down to prevent an even official added.
Strong winds also helped in spreading the fire. Many trees and electric poles were also engulfed in the conflagration, adding to its intensity. “There was a real fear that the fire would spread to thesurrounding apartments. It did catch onto the exterior of some buildings, but fortunately did not enter the flats,” the official said.
“Adding to the danger, many residents, primarily ragpickers, stored scrap materials such as plastic bottles and other combustible waste near their homes, which fueled the fire further. A thicktoxic smoke filled the entire area, leading to extremely suffocating conditions,” the official added.
The fire was finally doused at around 3.20 pm, but cooling operations continued for several hours thereafter to prevent any flare-ups. Delhi Police has launched an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the fire.
Mayank Rawat
