Delhi Vivek Vihar Fire: What we know so far about the blaze that claimed 9 lives

At least nine people lost their lives after a massive fire swept through a residential building in Delhi’s Vivek Vihar area in the early hours of Sunday. Prima facie, the blaze is believed to have been caused by an AC blast, though the exact reason is still under investigation.

Officials said the blaze broke out in a four-storey apartment building in Vivek Vihar Phase-I, with flames spreading across multiple flats on the upper floors.

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According to a report by PTI, the incident was reported around 3.48 am, following which police, fire and disaster management teams rushed to the spot.

Delhi Police said the fire affected flats on the second, third and fourth floors of the building, with several residents trapped inside as firefighters began evacuation and rescue operations.

Rescue operation lasted for hours

"Around 10 to 15 people were rescued from the premises during the firefighting operation. Two of them, who sustained minor injuries, were shifted to the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital," a senior police officer told PTI.

A total of 12 fire tenders were deployed at the spot, while teams from the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), traffic police and local police assisted in rescue and evacuation efforts.

As per the Delhi Fire Service, a STOP message was received at around 8:00 AM from DO Mukesh Verma after the fire was brought under control.

Bodies found on different floors

Fire officials said the blaze involved domestic articles in at least six flats of the building. During the operation, nine charred bodies were recovered from multiple locations inside the building — one from the first floor, five from the second floor and three from a locked staircase mumty.

Among those killed on the first floor was Shikha Jain (45), wife of Naveen Jain.

The victims found on the second floor (backside) were identified as Arvind, son of Chotte Lal (60), Anita Jain (58), Nishant Jain (35), Anchal Jain (33) and a one-year-old boy, according to a report by India Today. 

The deceased found on the third floor belonged to a single family: Nitin Jain (around 50), his wife Shailey Jain (around 48), and their son Samyak Jain (around 25). Naveen Jain (48) was among the injured. Overall, four men, four women and one child lost their lives in the incident, while four others sustained injuries.

Local Municipal Councillor Pankaj Luthra, who reached the spot during the operation, said identification of the victims would only be possible after DNA testing.

"Upon receiving the information, I rushed to the scene immediately. Upon arrival, I went straight upstairs. I have just come down from the upper floors... On the back side of the second floor, five bodies were found... Another body was found on the back side, and three bodies were located on the top floor... Identification is currently impossible," Luthra told ANI.

He added, "We are still conducting further checks, but until DNA testing is performed, we will be unable to determine the gender of the victims... A total of nine bodies have been confirmed. We are still checking for others. People are attributing this to a short circuit, but nothing has been officially confirmed yet regarding the exact cause of the incident."

Search operation still underway

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Shahdara district, Rajendra Prasad Meena, said officials received information about the fire around 4 am, after which fire tenders were rushed to the location.

"Early in the morning, we got a call about a fire. Fire tenders rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control. 3-4 bodies have been recovered from here. We're still searching. We got the call at around 4 AM," he said.

Police said the identities of the deceased are yet to be ascertained, while the exact cause of the fire is still being investigated.

(With inputs from agencies)