Delhi Fire Tragedy: Minister Reveals Inflammable Materials Stored in Basement, Political Blame Game Erupts
New Delhi: Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood disclosed on Monday that a preliminary report from the Delhi fire department has found highly inflammable materials were stored in the basement of a four-storey residential building in southwest Delhi's Palam area. This building tragically caught fire on March 18, resulting in the deaths of nine members of a single family, including three children.
Fire Department Report Details Critical Safety Lapses
According to Minister Sood, who presented the findings in the Delhi assembly, the report highlights severe structural and safety deficiencies. The report states that there was only a single staircase from the ground floor to the terrace, and it was not accessible from outside of the building, Sood explained. He further detailed that the basement contained a dangerous cache of items, including garments, cosmetics, thinner, perfumes, and nail polish, all classified as highly inflammable.
Despite these alarming findings, Sood emphasized that the current BJP government has refrained from engaging in blame politics. Despite all this, our government did not engage in the politics of blame game, he stated, indirectly addressing persistent allegations from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that alleged delays and lapses in the Delhi government's fire-fighting response worsened the tragedy.
Political Accusations and Counterclaims Intensify
The minister expressed profound grief and solidarity with the bereaved family, noting that within two hours of the blaze, the Chief Minister ordered a magisterial inquiry and announced ex gratia payments. However, the report's release has ignited a fierce political debate.
A senior AAP functionary criticized the report, arguing it avoids discussing any delay in fire brigade arrival or lack of basic fire-fighting equipment. The BJP government is running away from its responsibility and instead wants to blame the victims. The report labels normal hosiery and cosmetic material as inflammable, as if the person was storing RDX or had a petrol tank in his house, the AAP representative contended.
Historical Context and Governance Criticisms
In his assembly address, Sood listed several past fire incidents during AAP's tenure in Delhi, including:
- The Bawana Industrial Area fire in January 2018, which claimed 17 lives.
- The Karol Bagh hotel fire in February 2019, also killing 17 people.
- The Anaj Mandi fire in Sadar Bazar in December 2019, resulting in 45 deaths.
Sood accused the opposition of neglecting the assembly discussion, highlighting what he termed the previous AAP government's failure to act on fire safety. During such a serious discussion in the assembly, the opposition is outside, which shows its attitude. Several recommendations to modernise the fire department in 2019 were not translated into action and no steps were taken till February 2025, he asserted, criticizing an attitude of passing the buck.
Current Government's Fire Safety Initiatives
The minister outlined measures implemented by the BJP government since taking office last year, aimed at enhancing fire safety and response capabilities. These efforts include:
- Revamping wireless communication systems for better coordination.
- Deploying 50 quick response vehicles to improve emergency reach.
- Establishing a new command and control centre for effective monitoring of fire-fighting operations.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva echoed these points, expressing shock that despite numerous tragic blazes over the past 11 years, the previous Arvind Kejriwal-led government never held assembly discussions on implementing fire-safety regulations in residential areas and unauthorized colonies or on improving fire brigade infrastructure.
The tragic Palam fire has thus not only exposed critical safety lapses but also reignited long-standing political tensions over governance and accountability in Delhi's fire safety management, with both parties trading accusations while families mourn an irreplaceable loss.
