4 Dead, 1 Injured In Fire At Electronic Store In Delhi's Raja Garden

A massive fire broke out in an electronics shop in west Delhi on Monday afternoon, leaving four of its staff dead and another injured, officials said.

The fire started at the first-floor godown of 'Mahajan Electronics' and later spread to the second floor of the four-storey building.

A Delhi Fire Services official said the blaze was reported at 3.08 pm. "We rushed five fire tenders to the site. Dense smoke had already engulfed the floor, making it difficult for those trapped to escape. Four people were found unconscious and were immediately shifted to a hospital by CATS ambulance." Aayushi (22), Payal (20), Amandeep Kaur (22), and Ravi (28) died due to suffocation in the fire, while Sandeep Sharma (25) is undergoing treatment at the hospital, a senior police officer said. All five are workers in the shop.

The firefighting operation was completed at 4.10 pm, after which cooling measures were taken to ensure no secondary fire erupted. Officials said the cause of the blaze is yet to be ascertained and local police are carrying out further investigation.

According to police, the showroom of the store is on the ground floor. The first floor where the fire started was used as a godown and the building had two other floors.

Police said a distress call regarding the fire was received at the Moti Nagar police station around 3 pm. The Moti Nagar SHO and his staff reached the spot, while the fire brigade simultaneously launched rescue operations, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vichitra Veer said.

"People present there informed us that five people were trapped inside. After sustained efforts, all of them were taken out and rushed to hospitals. Four of them lost their lives, while one is undergoing treatment," said the DCP.

According to police, the bodies have been preserved for post-mortem examination and their families have been informed.

Sumit, who worked at the electronics store, said, "Around 30 to 35 of us work at Mahajan Electronics. It was lunchtime when the fire started. Aman, Payal, Ravi and Ayushi were on the same floor where the fire broke out. They got trapped before they could escape," he told PTI Videos.

Sumit said thick black smoke spread all over, causing panic among the people at the store who rushed outside.

"Everyone rushed out as soon as we saw the fire and dense smoke. Most of us managed to come out safely, but four of our colleagues were stuck inside.

"We immediately called the ambulance and informed the police about the matter. We were helpless as the flames had already spread by then," he said.

He added that several local political leaders also rushed to the spot after they got to know about the incident and assured support to the families of the victims.

Residents of the area said they initially thought the smoke was due to a minor electrical malfunction but people's screams from inside alerted them to the intensity of the blaze.

"The smoke was so dense that visibility was almost zero. It was terrifying to see people being carried out unconscious," said a local shopkeeper.

A senior fire official said their teams acted immediately after receiving the alert.

"Our fire tenders reached the spot without delay. We also informed local police to conduct a proper investigation into the incident. The flames were doused in about an hour, but by that time, the lives of four persons had already been lost," the official said.

The incident drew a large crowd of residents and shopkeepers, who watched as rescue personnel carried out operations. Several ambulances lined the road, while fire engines worked to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading further.

Senior police officers, including the DCP Vichitra Veer, also rushed to the spot and directed the officers to investigate the case properly.

The officer said that appropriate proceedings have been initiated. "We are investigating all aspects, including whether there was any lapse in fire safety norms or negligence in handling electrical equipment," he said.

Police teams, including forensic experts, will visit the spot to collect evidence and ascertain the exact cause of the fire. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)