Blaze At Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar PG, Fire Officer Says All Evacuated Safely

Thirty five people, one of them a four-year-old girl, were rescued by firemen from a blaze that engulfed a women's paying guest facility in an apartment in Northwest Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar area on Wednesday evening.

According to officials from the fire department, five persons, including the girl, were taken to hospital since they had inhaled fumes.

While the fire department sent 20 firetenders to the site, only eight could reach the spot because of traffic congestion and narrow lanes.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said he is monitoring the situation.

According to the fire department, they received information about the blaze in the Signature Apartments at 7.47 pm, and rushed 20 fire tenders to the spot.

''Things are under control...there is no casualty and everyone has been evacuated,'' Delhi Chief Fire Service Officer Atul Garg told PTI around 9.30 pm. ''Fire is completely extinguished. There were around 35 girls and all are safe.'' It seems the fire started from a metre board installed near the staircase and spread to the upper floors, he said. The building has ground floor and three more storeys and has only one staircase and a kitchen on terrace, he said. Panic gripped the area as flames leapt out of the building. Videos from the spot showed firemen climbing ladders to rescue those trapped inside with ambulance and firetenders' sirens blaring in the backdrop.

A fire official said since the lanes of the area are congested, it was a challenge for the firetenders to reach the site.

''Eight firetenders could reach the site despite us deploying 20 units. The units were stuck in traffic near Hanuman Mandir at Kashmere Gate and then at Vishwavidyalaya. We sought the help of traffic control room and they assisted our vehicles,'' he said.