Delhi Fire: Two innocent children died in a massive fire in Rohini, 800 huts burnt to ashes, gas cylinder explosion wreaked havoc

New Delhi: Two innocent children died tragically in a massive fire that broke out in a slum near Shri Niketan Apartment in Delhi's Rohini Sector 17 on Sunday morning. The fire engulfed 800 to 1,000 huts spread over about 5 acres, with 150 to 400 huts completely burnt to ashes. The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) deployed 26 fire engines, but narrow lanes and gas cylinder explosions made rescue operations challenging. Five people were injured in the incident, and household goods, money, gold and rickshaws of the affected families were destroyed.

Cause and origin of the fire

The Delhi Fire Service received a call about the fire at 11:55 am when thick smoke was reported from near Shri Niketan Apartments. Initial investigations suggest the fire started in a slum and spread rapidly. Deputy Chief Fire Officer (West Zone) M.K. Chattopadhyay said several 5 kg cooking gas cylinders exploded, leading to the blaze. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Amit Goyal said the exact cause of the fire was still under investigation, but disarranged power wiring and gas cylinders may have fuelled it.

Tragic death of two children

Two children, aged two-and-a-half and three years, were burnt to death in the fire. Their charred bodies were recovered from the debris of the slum. Mitthu, a victim's father, told ANI, "I had a 4-year-old son. My wife and I had gone to work in the morning. At 3 pm, we got a call that our slum was gutted. When I reached, my son was completely burnt." The children are yet to be identified, and search for other missing persons is on.

Challenges in rescue operations

The Delhi Fire Service initially sent 4-5 fire engines, but seeing the intensity of the fire, declared it a medium category fire and deployed 26 vehicles. Narrow lanes and boundary walls of apartments made access for fire engines difficult. "Vehicles had to be parked one behind the other, which delayed the operation," said a DFS official. After three hours of effort, the fire was brought under control by 3:20 pm, and cooling operations were initiated.

Death toll

The fire caused massive destruction in the slum. People's household goods, cash, jewellery, and means of livelihood like rickshaws were reduced to ashes. "We lost everything. We have nothing left now," said a local resident. The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital. Police and fire brigade teams are still engaged in search and rescue operations in the debris.

Social media reaction

The incident caught people's attention on social media. "Safety protocols in Delhi have become a joke," wrote a user on Twitter. The Aam Aadmi Party hit out at Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, saying, "She did not even express grief over this tragic incident."

Repeated incidents of fire in slums

This is not the first time such tragedies have occurred in Delhi's slums. In 2018, fire destroyed hundreds of shanties in Rohini and Mansarovar Park. Experts say that haphazardly placed power cables, gas cylinders, and narrow lanes make these slums easy prey for fire.

Way forward

The Delhi Police is investigating the matter. The government has announced relief for the affected families, but no concrete action has been taken so far. Experts suggest that it is important to implement fire safety measures in slums, such as fire extinguishers and proper electricity supply.