Fire erupts in New Delhi building, 27 Indians killed

NEW DELHI: At least 27 people were died and dozens more were injured following a massive fire in a building in the Indian capital New Delhi, emergency services said on Saturday.

The large fire broke out at a four-story commercial building in west New Delhi in the late afternoon, but its cause was not immediately clear.

 “The total number of dead is 27. Search operation is on,” an official with the fire department said.

Sunil Choudhary, deputy chief fire officer from the Delhi fire service, said people had jumped from the burning building to save their lives.

“More than 25 people are injured, including those who jumped from the building,” Choudhary said.

Approximately 60 to 70 people have been rescued, local media quoted police as saying, and more than 40 had sustained burns and are being treated in hospital.

The third floor of the building has not yet been searched and more dead bodies are expected to be recovered.

The blaze started from the first floor of the building, which houses the office of a security camera and router manufacturing company, NDTV quoted police official Sameer Sharma as saying.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was extremely saddened by the loss of lives.

Fires are common in India, where building laws and safety norms are often flouted by builders and residents.

In 2019, a fire caused by an electrical short circuit engulfed a building in New Delhi killing 43 people.