A 40-year-old woman and her two daughters died after a fire broke out on the third floor of a house in BK Dutt Colony in the Jor Bagh area of south Delhi, the police said on Tuesday.
The deceased have been identified as Akansha (40) and her two daughters aged 12 and 8. According to the police, the incident took place around 10:26 am.
After getting information, police and Delhi Fire Services (DFS) personnel rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. The teams entered the premises and found three persons dead on the third floor of the house, an official said.
The police said the woman’s husband and other family members were present on the second floor of the house at the time of the incident.
Crime and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) teams inspected the scene. No signs of foul play have been found so far. However, all angles are being probed. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation, the police said.
Earlier in the day, a major tragedy was averted in West Delhi’s Fateh Nagar after police and DFS personnel rescued nine persons from a four-storey residential building engulfed in flames.
The fire broke out at a house in Fateh Nagar falling under the jurisdiction of the Hari Nagar police station. A PCR call regarding the incident was received, following which police personnel rushed to the spot.
According to officials, the fire had reportedly started in the parking area, and spread to all four floors of the building. It is suspected to be caused by a short circuit.
DFS personnel also reached the spot. However, fire tenders could not reach the building due to narrow lanes. The police, with the assistance of the fire personnel, launched a rescue operation using ladders to evacuate the trapped residents.
During the operation, a 40-year-old woman, identified as Sakshi, panicked and attempted to jump from the first floor. The police quickly arranged mattresses below, enabling her to land safely without sustaining any injuries.
An elderly couple trapped on the third floor was also rescued. The elderly woman, who had undergone hip replacement surgery four days ago, was unable to move. Despite their initial reluctance to leave the house, police personnel persuaded the couple to evacuate. HC Omprakash Swami and other officers shifted the woman onto a wheelchair and safely brought her downstairs along with her husband.
Officials said two LPG cylinders kept on the top floor exploded during the blaze. However, no one was injured in the incident.
A total of nine persons were rescued safely from the building. SI Rajender sustained an injury to his right leg during the rescue operation while evacuating residents.