A day after a massive fire broke out in a three-storey building near West Delhi's Mundka metro station on Friday, 13 May, killing at least 27 people, rescue operations are still underway at the site.
Fire officials on Saturday told the media that the death toll is expected to rise with 29 people still reported to be missing.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia reached the site on Saturday to take stock of the rescue operations and and ordered a judicial probe into the matter.
While an FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the IPC, the Delhi Police has arrested two people – Harish Goel and Varun Goel, in light of the incident. Manish Lakra, identified as the owner of the building, is currently absconding.
While the fire fighting operation has been concluded, the search and rescue efforts are still ongoing
So far, 12 people have been injured due to the fire and 50 people have been rescued from the building
A help desk has been set up at the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where the injured are admitted, to help people whose loved ones were missing or injured
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs 2 lakh ex gratia to the kin of those lost in the blaze, and Rs 50,000 for all injured
An FIR has been registered under Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide),120 (concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC.
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A Motivational Event Had Been Underway When the Fire Broke Out
A motivation speech was taking place in the Mundka building when a fire broke out. Shazia Parveen, who was there at the time, told The Quint, "Sir was asking us what we can do for the future of the company and motivating us to do something big..."
Delhi BJP MLA Demands Judicial Inquiry Into Fire
Delhi BJP MLA Vijender Gupta, who visited the kin of those affected at the Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, has demanded a judicial inquiry into the Mundka fire.
'Couldn't Call for Help As Company Confiscated Our Phones': Survivor
Shazia Parveen, one of the survivors of the tragedy, said that nobody had their phones with them to call for help when the fire broke out, as the company had asked them to submit them before commencing their work.
"The company had asked us to submit our phones as family members used to call us often during working hours," she said, adding, "we used to get our phones only for 10 minutes during the lunch break, after which we would be asked to submit them again."
Bodies Severely Charred, 7 of 27 Identified: Sanjay Gandhi Hospital
Dr SK Arora, Medical Superintendent of Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, said that the institute has received 27 bodies, which are severely charred.
"Of these, 7 bodies have been identified. Relatives still coming for identification process. At least 7 other families are looking for their members among the bodies," he was quoted as saying by ANI.