Fire Breaks Out In Delhi's Tughlakabad Building, Neighbours Help Rescue Residents
Neighbours rescue residents using ladders during Delhi fire incident
A fire broke out in a five-storey residential building in Tughlakabad Extension in the early hours of Friday, leaving several residents dead and injured while triggering urgent rescue efforts by neighbours who rushed to help those trapped inside. Residents said the blaze began around 2.15 am and rapidly filled the lane with thick smoke, creating panic across the neighbourhood.
Within minutes, visibility dropped sharply as smoke engulfed the area, forcing residents to act quickly to prevent further loss of life. In the absence of immediate external rescue access, locals improvised rescue measures. Mattresses were placed on the ground to cushion those forced to jump from upper floors, while some residents attempted to extinguish burning vehicles nearby to prevent possible explosions.
Others worked to clear access routes through smoke-filled corridors so that rescue efforts could continue. Among those who played a key role were Saurav Sharma, 35, and his 16-year-old daughter Anshu, who lived in a building opposite the fire-hit structure. Sharma said his daughter alerted him after hearing cries for help. On reaching the balcony, they saw a man stranded on the second floor of the burning building.
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The girl quickly used her mother’s saree as a makeshift rope, which was thrown across and tied to a railing, allowing the trapped man to climb down to safety. Despite these rescue efforts, the fire claimed three lives. The deceased were identified as 28-year-old Pankaj Pandey, his 70-year-old grandmother Sushila Devi, and his 20-year-old sister Soni.
All three were on the upper floors of the building when the fire intensified, officials said. Authorities also reported that two additional family members and three residents from the fifth floor sustained injuries in the incident and were shifted for medical treatment. Fire and emergency teams later reached the spot and began cooling operations and inspection of the structure to determine the cause of the blaze.
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