A tragic fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday morning in East Delhi’s Vivek Vihar, claiming the lives of at least nine people, including a one-year-old child. The incident occurred at a four-story residential building in Vivek Vihar Phase-I, leaving the local community in shock as fire and rescue teams spent hours battling the flames.
The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) received the first emergency call at 3:47 AM. Upon arrival at Vivek Vihar B-Block, firefighters found that the blaze had already engulfed multiple flats across the second, third, and fourth floors. A total of 14 fire tenders were deployed to the scene, along with teams from the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and local police. Rescue operations were particularly difficult due to the building's dense layout and the fact that several residents were trapped in the upper-story flats as they slept.
The deceased have been identified as members of two families residing in the complex. Among the victims were Arvind Jain (60), Anita Jain (58), Nishant Jain (35), Anchal Jain (33), and their toddler, Akash. On the third floor, another family suffered immense loss, with Nitin Jain (50), Shailey Jain (48), and Samyak Jain (25) among those declared dead. Officials recovered five bodies from the second floor alone, while others were found in the staircase area, which had reportedly become a smoke-filled trap.
Preliminary investigations by the Shahdara police suggest that a short circuit leading to an air-conditioner (AC) explosion may have triggered the fire. "The flames spread rapidly through domestic articles in at least six flats," a fire official noted. While nine people were killed, rescue teams successfully evacuated between 12 and 15 other residents. Two individuals who sustained minor injuries were rushed to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital for treatment.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu expressed deep grief over the tragedy, assuring that all necessary aid would be provided to the survivors.
As of Sunday afternoon, a cooling operation is still underway at the site, and the Delhi Police crime team has begun a forensic analysis to confirm the exact cause of the blast. The incident has once again raised urgent concerns regarding fire safety protocols and electrical maintenance in the city's crowded residential pockets.
