'Save us' | Recount of residents' bid to escape from Govindpuri fire that killed 3

As fire tore through a five-storey residential building in southeast Delhi's Govindpuri in the early hours of Friday, some residents climbed out of windows from the upper floors using sarees, while some shouted for help from the rooftop in their desperate bid to escape as thick smoke and flames engulfed the structure. Three members of a family were killed and two others critically injured in the blaze that broke out in the residential building in Tughlakabad Extension around 2.30 am, police said. Neighbours recounted the horror, panic and desperation during the moments. Rajan, who lives nearby, said smoke was first noticed around 2 am. It soon filled the building and the narrow lane housing it, reducing visibility and making it hard to breathe. "We tried dousing the fire, but two-wheelers parked inside the building were already in flames. Since there were flammable materials, it helped the fire spread through the whole building," he told PTI Videos.

A resident said she woke up to smoke filling her house and rushed out even without slippers. "I couldn't see anything, I could barely breathe. People were shouting for help," she said. Neighbours said residents trapped inside the building had little option but to find alternative escape routes as smoke rapidly spread through the premises. "People saved their lives by using sarees to climb out of windows. Many people managed to get out through the back door of the building," Rajan said.

Another neighbour, Suman, said residents could be heard crying for help from the rooftop as the fire intensified. "They were screaming 'save us' from the rooftop, but nobody could enter the building because the fire had spread throughout," she said. As cries for help echoed through the neighbourhood, locals joined rescue efforts, helping occupants evacuate and guiding elderly residents to safety.

According to eyewitnesses, one resident remained stranded for hours before being brought down with the help of a saree lowered from above. Locals then assisted him after he reached the ground. According to police, a PCR call regarding the fire was received at Govindpuri police station at around 2.30 am. A coordinated evacuation effort was soon launched. Eight occupants were rescued and shifted to Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS Trauma Centre for treatment. The deceased were identified as Pankaj (28), his mother Guddi (50), and sister Soni (20), all residents of the third floor of the building.

Pankaj's 18-year-old sister Moni and their 70-year-old maternal grandmother sustained critical injuries. Neelu Devi, another resident of the area, said the dense smoke reduced visibility in the locality and spread to neighbouring buildings as well. "The smoke had entered our building as well. As soon as we realised it, we ran out of our houses," she told PTI Videos. "Most of the people living in this building own their apartments. There may be some tenants, but most people own their homes," she added.

AAP councillor from Tughlakabad Extension Chaudhary Bhagbir said there was no indication of foul play behind the incident. "It can happen anywhere. It was an accident," he said. AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, who visited the site, said that efforts made by neighbours during the fire demonstrated the importance of community support during emergencies. "People even hung sarees to climb down and save their lives. If neighbours help each other in this manner, many such tragedies can be prevented or their impact reduced," he said. Bharadwaj also questioned delays in releasing inquiry reports into previous major fire incidents in the city, saying investigations are often announced but their findings are not made public.

Police said a preliminary inquiry suggests that the blaze may have originated due to an electrical short circuit on the ground floor of the building. The exact cause is being investigated.

The incident comes a week after a massive fire broke out in a bed-and-breakfast hotel in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar, killing 23 people. Several of those killed were foreigners, mainly from Central Asian and African countries.