Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the deadly fire in Delhi’s Vivek Vihar that claimed nine lives early Sunday and announced ex-gratia assistance of ₹2 lakh for the families of each deceased victim and ₹50,000 for those injured.
Calling the incident “extremely distressing,” Modi said in a post on X that he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives in Delhi’s Shahdara district and prayed for the speedy recovery of those hurt.
“The loss of lives due to a fire mishap in Delhi’s Shahdara district is extremely distressing. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones,” he said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also conveyed condolences, describing the tragedy as “extremely heartbreaking,” and said authorities were ensuring the injured received the best possible medical care.
The fire broke out in a four-storey residential building in Vivek Vihar in the early hours of Sunday. Police said a PCR call was received at 3:48 am, while Delhi Fire Services were alerted a minute earlier at 3:47 am.
Firefighters rushed to the scene with 14 fire tenders, bringing the blaze under control by around 5 am.
According to officials, rescue efforts were hampered by the building’s layout, with flats located at both the front and rear, making access difficult for emergency teams.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Rajendra Prasad Meena said search operations could only begin after 8 am, once the fire had been fully extinguished.
Among those killed was a 1.5-year-old toddler, the youngest victim. The child was found along with four others at the rear of the second floor.
Preliminary reports suggest the fire may have been triggered by an air-conditioner blast, though authorities are continuing their investigation into the exact cause.
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