Delhi Fires: Teenager's Eid Dress Tragedy and Labourer Deaths Spark Outrage
A series of devastating fires in Delhi on Thursday morning claimed three lives, including a 17-year-old girl who perished after rushing back into her burning home to retrieve a new Eid dress. The incidents, occurring in Rithala and Paharganj, have exposed critical fire safety lapses and left families shattered.
Rithala Jhuggi Cluster Engulfed in Flames
In outer Delhi's Rithala, a massive fire erupted around 4:15 am, rapidly consuming over 100 jhuggis near the metro station. The blaze, fueled by a nearby cardboard and paper godown and a gasket factory filled with scrap, required about 15 fire tenders and 75 firefighters to bring under control by 7:25 am.
The heart-wrenching story of Rozina, a 17-year-old resident, has emerged as a symbol of the tragedy. According to her aunt Zarina (45), Rozina had initially escaped the inferno but dashed back inside to save a new outfit she had purchased for Eid. Her charred body was later recovered by the Delhi Fire Service.
"She had managed to step out when the fire broke out, but ran back in to retrieve that dress," Zarina recounted, breaking down. Rozina's mother Aadina (38) wailed inconsolably, while her younger sister suffered burns on her feet during the escape.
Residents Describe Chaos and Allegations
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as residents broke jhuggis with rods and hammers, even jumping over adjoining houses to flee the flames. "Many people were injured in the chaos. Some also suffered burns," said factory worker Sameer-ul (22).
Residents alleged the fire started near the settlement's entry gate and hinted at foul play, prompting police to file a case at Budh Vihar police station and launch an investigation. Despite government officials offering temporary shelter on the spot, many residents refused to leave, fearing their salvaged scrap—a vital source of income—might be stolen.
Children's Lives Disrupted and Previous Incidents
The fire's impact extended beyond immediate casualties. Shabnam (12) and Meera (13) sat amidst the charred remains of five puppies they had fostered, clutching burnt pages of their school books. Both girls missed their exams on Thursday due to the disaster.
This tragedy echoes a similar blaze in November last year in a nearby jhuggi cluster, which claimed two lives. Residents noted that while minor fires had occurred before, nothing of this catastrophic scale had ever hit their community.
Separate Paharganj Blaze Kills Two Labourers
In a concurrent incident, two labourers were found charred to death after a fire broke out inside a toy godown in central Delhi's Paharganj on Wednesday evening. The blaze started on the first and second floors of a four-storey building around 4:37 pm, spreading to the third floor where a temporary structure on the terrace housed the victims.
Fifteen fire tenders with approximately 75 personnel battled the flames, which were exacerbated by plastic and rubber materials from the toys. The fire was finally brought under control by 3:20 am.
Violence Against Firefighters and Ongoing Probes
During the Paharganj operation, Delhi Fire Service officials reported that angry locals and labourers threw stones at firefighters, even breaking the window of one vehicle. "Out of anger, they threw stones and caused damage," an official stated. Police intervention eventually calmed the situation.
Authorities have initiated probes into both fires to determine the exact causes and sequences of events. The twin tragedies underscore urgent concerns about fire safety standards in densely populated urban areas, particularly in informal settlements and industrial zones.
