In a tragic incident in the Palam area of Delhi, a massive blaze engulfing a five-storey building claimed the lives of nine members of a single family. Amidst this tragedy, a horrific story of a father’s struggle to save his child has surfaced. As the fire spread, 32-year-old Anil held his two-year-old daughter close, attempting to lower her to safety. In the chaos, the child slipped from his grasp; in a final act of desperation, Anil jumped from the third floor after her. Both survived but are currently being treated at Safdarjung Hospital for fractures and head injuries.
The Victims And The Survivors
The building located near Ram Chawk Market, housed a cloth and cosmetics showroom on the lower levels, with the family residing on the upper floors. The nine deceased represent three generation of the Kashyap family:
70-year-old Lado: Wife of the family head.
Sons: 33-year-old Pravesh and 39-year-old Kamal.
Daughter: 22-year-old Himanshi.
Daughters-in-law: 35-year-old Ashu and 28-year-old Deepika.
Grandchildren: Three girls aged 15, 6 and 3.
One son, 29-year-old Sachin, managed to survive by jumping to an adjacent building, sustaining 25 per cent burns. Another son and his family were away on holiday in Shimla, narrowly escaping the disaster.
Allegations Of Systemic Failure
A significant controversy has emerged regarding the rescue operation. Eyewitnesses and the Market Association General Secretary, Mukesh Verma, alleged that a hydraulic ladder failed to deploy for nearly 30 minutes while the family pleaded for help from the balconies.
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However, fire officials offered a different perspective, stating the equipment did not malfunction but was simply not long enough to reach the third floor, necessitating a second, larger ladder which arrived 40 minutes later. By the time the second ladder was operational, it was too late for most of those trapped.
A Disaster Rooted In Negligence
Preliminary investigations suggest a short circuit near a ground-floor meter box sparked the blaze. Several factors turned the building into a death trap:
Flammable Stock: The showroom contained large quantities of perfumes and cosmetics, which acted as accelerants.
Poor Infrastructure: The building had only one entry and exit point despite its commercial use.
Geographical Obstacles: Narrow alleys and a canopy of low-hanging overhead wires hindered the movement of the 20 fire engines and 11 ambulances pressed into service.
Government Response
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. The government has announced a compensation package of:
- Rs 10 Lakh for each adult deceased.
- Rs 5 Lakh for each child deceased.
- Rs 2 Lakh for those injured.
The tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the recurring violation of fire safety norms in Delhi’s congested hubs, where negligence continues to turn manageable accidents into insurmountable disasters.