3 hurt in blaze at MPs’ housing quarters in Delhi
A fire official, responding to the allegations, said that they “may have” reached “slightly late” due to festive rush
NEW DELHI
A massive fire broke out at the Brahmputra Apartments, a multi-storey building meant for members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and their staff, on Baba Kharagpur Singh Marg. Police said that three women, including two minor girls, were injured, but a formal medical examination was not conducted.
Residents said that people staying in the staff quarters were affected, but not MPs, as the fire mainly affected the stilt parking, upper-ground and first floors, while MPs stay on the fourth floor and above. The building has eight floors in total.
They also said fire tenders reached the spot in over 30 minutes since the fire broke out.
A Delhi Fire Services official said that their control room received the call about the fire at 1.22pm and they sent 14 fire tenders. “The fire had started from the stilt parking floor and spread to upper ground and first floor. It also impacted the second floor but only from outside,” a fire official said.
The fire was doused by 2.05pm, they said .
Kamal Kumar, 41, who lives on the upper ground floor, said the fire started with the sofas kept in the parking area. “When I reached home, I was informed that people could hear the sound of firecrackers. We suspect that firecrackers led to fire in the sofas kept there. All our belongings have turned to ashes. We are left with nothing,” he said.
Another resident, Manu (single name), 31, said that his two cousins sustained injuries in the incident. “My cousins were standing outside when the fire broke out,” he said.
However, a senior police officer said that the girls were strolling outside and started running when the fire broke out. “The injuries were not due to fire but because they fell while running,” the officer said.
Another woman who sustained injuries was identified as Madhumati, 48, who was unwell and couldn’t step out of the house. “She has sustained minor injuries. Her medical examination was not formally conducted,” the officer said, adding that all the injured were treated at home.
Manu also alleged that the fire extinguishers and hose pipes installed in the building did not work. “We tried to use them but they didn’t work. Fire department officials came over 30 minutes after we informed the emergency number,” he said.
A fire official, responding to the allegations, said that they “may have” reached “slightly late” due to the festive rush. The police officer quoted above said that a case on charges of causing mischief by fire was registered, and a further probe is underway.
