Kirti Nagar factory blaze claims lives of 2, investigation underway
New Delhi: A tragic fire incident claimed the lives of two individuals including a senior citizen in the early hours of Sunday, at a factory in west Delhi’s Kirti Nagar area.
The police were alerted about the incident through a PCR call at the Kirti Nagar Police Station.
The deceased were identified as Atul Rai (45) son of Ram Vilas Rai resident of Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Nand Kishore Dube (65) son of Dev Narayan Dube resident of Gaya, Bihar.
According to the police reports, the Delhi Fire Service responded to an emergency call around 4:25 am, reporting a fire at a furniture godown on the roofs of buildings in the Westwood House Scheme (WHS), Kirti Nagar.
Firefighters arrived promptly, deploying seven fire tenders to control and extinguish the blaze.
Upon arrival, fire personnel found that the fire had originated on the roofs and quickly spread through the facility.
After extinguishing the flames, responders conducted a thorough search of the premises.
It was discovered that a locked room on the roof of the building concealed two unconscious individuals.
When firefighters forced open the door, they found two men who appeared to have died from smoke inhalation, likely succumbing to suffocation.
The victims were identified as Atul Rai, a laborer, who was reportedly sleeping on-site, and Nand Kishore Dube, a rickshaw puller.
Preliminary findings indicate that the men had no chance to escape as the fire rapidly engulfed the area.
The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team was summoned to the site to investigate the cause of the blaze . Initial assessments suggest it may have been an accidental fire, but authorities are carefully examining the circumstances.
“Legal action will be initiated accordingly based on the investigation’s findings,” confirmed a spokesperson for the Delhi Fire Service.
This incident highlights concerns about fire safety measures and emergency preparedness, particularly in industrial and storage facilities.
Kirti Nagar, an area with a significant number of furniture warehouses, has seen similar incidents in the past, raising questions about adherence to fire safety standards.
Authorities are urging business owners and facility managers in industrial zones to evaluate their fire safety protocols to prevent such tragedies in the future.
In response to this incident, the fire department plans to increase inspections across similar high-risk zones in Delhi.
As the community mourns the loss of two workers, local residents, and activists are calling for stricter regulations and more frequent safety drills.
