Adityanath condoles loss of lives in Delhi building fire

PTI, May 14, 2022, 1:56 PM IST

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday condoled the loss of lives in a fire that ripped through a four-storey building in outer Delhi’s Mundka and said the incident was ”heartbreaking”.

Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati also expressed grief over the ”unfortunate” incident and called for a thorough investigation into the matter.

At least 27 people were killed and 12 injured after the fire broke out in the building near Mundka metro station on Friday. The fire started on the first floor of the building that housed the office of a CCTV cameras and router manufacturing and assembling company, police said.

It is suspected that an explosion in an AC may have triggered the fire, according to fire officials.

”The loss of lives in an unfortunate and horrific fire incident in Delhi yesterday is extremely sad and heartbreaking. My condolences are with the bereaved family members. I pray that may Lord Shri Ram grant peace to the souls of the departed and help the injured make a speedy recovery,” Adityanath said in a tweet in Hindi.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav said a thorough probe should be conducted into the incident.

”Tributes to those killed in Delhi’s Mundka fire. (I extend my) deepest condolences to the bereaved families and appeal to the government to give them compensation. Ignoring the safety standards and fire norms in building construction leads to such accidents. There should be a thorough investigation in this matter,” he tweeted in Hindi.

BSP chief Mayawati termed the loss of lives in the fire ”sad and unfortunate”.

”About 27 people died and 12 others were injured in a massive fire that broke out in a four-storey building in Mundka, Delhi last evening. My deepest condolences to the families of the victims. The government should ensure that the culprits get strict punishment by conducting a high-level inquiry into the matter,” she tweeted in Hindi.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured in the Mundka building fire incident.

He also said a magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

The death toll is likely to go up as charred human remains were found on the second floor of the Mundka building earlier on Saturday, according to fire officials.