NEW DELHI: At least nine people were killed after a massive blaze broke out in a residential building in Shahdara in the early hours of Sunday.The fire is believed to have started due to an AC blast. Two people have been injured as well. According to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), a call regarding the fire was received at 3.27 am, following which 14 fire tenders and over 80 fire personnel were rushed to the spot. The flames were brought under control by around 8 am after a prolonged firefighting operation. DFS officials said at least nine people were rushed to hospital. According to Delhi Police, fire was found in flats situated on the second, third and fourth floors. During rescue and firefighting operations, 10–15 persons were rescued from the building, out of whom two persons, who sustained minor injuries, were shifted to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital for medical treatment. Twelve fire tenders were at the spot along with DDMA staff, traffic officials and local police. A resident, Rohit, said, “a blast in the AC triggered the fire. Around 12–15 people were rescued. The fire started at around 3.13 am. Fire tenders arrived at around 3.35 am,” he said. Preliminary findings suggest that the fire may have been triggered by a short circuit. However, officials said the exact cause of the blaze is still being ascertained.
