New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed deep grief over the fire that broke out in a residential building in Vivek Vihar, Shahdara, resulting in the loss of nine lives. He announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased person and Rs 50,000 to those who were injured in the incident.
Leaders Express Condolences
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed sorrow, calling the incident “extremely heartbreaking.” In a post on social media platform X, he extended his condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and prayed for strength to those grieving. He assured that local authorities were providing the highest level of medical care to the injured.
Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also expressed grief. Sandhu wrote in a post that the authorities would ensure all medical assistance is provided to the injured and immediate support to those affected. The Chief Minister said all senior administration officials, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, the Delhi Fire Service, and the police were engaged in relief and rescue operations. “The injured are undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital. I pray for their speedy recovery. In this hour of grief, my heartfelt condolences go out to the bereaved families,” she said.
Visits to the Site and Hospital
Union Minister of State Harsh Malhotra and Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva visited the site in Vivek Vihar and met the affected families. They also visited an injured person at GTB Hospital, as per the BJP. Sachdeva remarked that the loss was irreparable for the affected families.
Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav urged the Rekha Gupta government to be prompt in providing help without engaging in petty politics. He also demanded a high-level probe into the cause of the blaze.
An Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) delegation, led by MLAs Sanjeev Jha and Kuldeep Kumar, visited the injured in the hospital and later the site, where they spoke to residents. The party drew parallels with the Palam fire that occurred a month and a half ago and asked Gupta to take concrete steps to prevent such incidents in the future.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said, “This is clearly the result of serious systemic negligence. How long will safety standards continue to be ignored? Will any accountability be fixed on the administration? My condolences to the bereaved families. May God give them strength.”
The tragic incident has sparked widespread grief and demands for accountability from various political quarters.
