Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 14: Police investigating the fatal fire at Tughlakabad Extension in southeast Delhi, which claimed the lives of three members of a family, have uncovered CCTV footage showing a woman entering the building shortly before the blaze and leaving within minutes, prompting investigators to examine her possible connection to the incident.
According to police, the footage, captured by cameras installed outside a house opposite the building, shows a woman with her face covered by a dupatta entering the premises shortly before the explosion and fire that occurred in the early hours of Friday. She was seen exiting the building a few minutes later.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said efforts are underway to identify and trace the woman. He stressed that investigators have not reached any conclusions regarding her role.
“At this stage, we cannot say why she had entered the building, whether she had come to meet someone, or whether she had any role in the incident. All angles are being examined,” Tiwari said.
Residents of the area claimed the woman was seen heading towards the parking area shortly before the fire broke out. Investigators are analysing the CCTV footage along with other evidence collected from the scene.
Saurav Sharma, one of the first responders, said local residents who viewed the footage reported seeing the woman leave the building in a hurry.
Police officials, however, cautioned against speculation, stating that the exact cause of the fire can only be established after a detailed forensic examination.
A senior police officer said investigators are also examining the possibility that the fire originated from an electric scooter being charged in the parking area. One of the deceased, Pankaj Pandey, reportedly owned an electric scooter parked on the ground floor.
“The fire may have started from the scooter, but that remains a matter of investigation. A forensic team revisited the spot on Saturday,” the officer said.
The blaze erupted around 2.30 am on Friday in a residential building in Tughlakabad Extension, killing 70-year-old Sushila Devi, her grandson Pankaj Pandey, 28, and granddaughter Soni, 20.
Two other family members, Guddi Devi, 50, and Mani, 18, sustained serious injuries but are now stated to be out of danger. Three women residing on the top floor of the building, Mumtaz and her two sisters, were also injured in the incident.
Police said the fire started in the ground-floor parking area, where at least seven two-wheelers, including the electric scooter, were parked. Thick smoke rapidly engulfed the building, trapping residents, particularly those living on the upper floors.
A case has been registered at Govindpuri police station under Sections 106(1) (causing death by negligence) and 287 (negligent conduct with respect to fire) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against unidentified persons.
The tragedy has once again raised concerns over fire safety standards in Delhi's densely populated unauthorised and regularised colonies. Fire department officials said the five-storey building, constructed on a plot measuring around 100 square yards and housing 10 flats, lacked fire exits, ventilation systems and firefighting equipment, leaving residents with virtually no means of escape once the structure filled with smoke.