It has been suspected that fire may have been triggered due to an explosion in an air conditioner on the first floor where a CCTV camera and router manufacturing and assembling company was running.
New Delhi: A couple of days after the loss of 27 lives due to fire in an office building near Mundka metro station, police have arrested the owner of the building. According to the police, the owner Manish Lakra was absconding after the incident and was nabbed after a series of raids conducted by the law enforcement agency.
According to the report, he and his family members were present in the building when the fire broke out. To protect themselves from flames that had engulfed the four-storey building, they reached the top floor and were rescued with the help of cranes.
Meanwhile, it has been suspected that fire may have been triggered due to an explosion in an air conditioner on the first floor where a CCTV camera and router manufacturing and assembling company was running. Police have also arrested the company owners Harish Goel and Vijay Goel.
A day after the fire incident, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made a visit to the spot. The Delhi CM had announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the families to each deceased while Rs 50000 each to the families of injured persons. Announcing to conduct a magisterial probe of the incident, Kejriwal had said that culprits will be punished.
According to the reports, a team of firefighters and local police evacuated at least 50 people from inside the four-storey building where fire broke out on its first floor on Friday evening. Meanwhile, around 29 people are still missing and search is underway to find them.
Fire officials had suspected that the death count may rise as charred remains were reportedly found from inside the building during the cooling exercise. Meanwhile, Police have also identified nearly half a dozen deceased and injured persons also. To ensure identification, police may conduct DNA tests of unidentified bodies.
A senior fire official had said that the office building had no fire NOC and clearance from the MCD. He said that it seems the entire building was illegal.
At least 27 people were killed while many feared trapped after a massive fire broke out at an office building in Mundka area on Friday evening. A massive rescue operation was launched by the fire department and police and the rescue operation was underway till the report was filed. Fire department officials, in a statement, had said that the fire fighting operation had ended while the rescue operation was going on.
According to the reports, the fire had taken place around 4:45 pm and the people were trapped inside. As the matter was reported, a team of local police reached the spot immediately and tried to rescue people who were inside the premises. Police broke the windows of the building so it could evacuate the victims. Many were immediately rushed to the hospital and a massive rescue operation was launched to search and trace people.
A total of 30 fire brigades were rushed to douse the fire. Ambulances were also rushed there to take victims to the hospital for immediate medical treatment. The building was being used as offices of several companies and the victims are employees working there.
Expressing grief over the death of scores of people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a tragic fire in Delhi. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I wish the injured a speedy recovery.”
