New Delhi: A catastrophic fire ripped through a four-storey apartment complex in East Delhi's Vivek Vihar early Sunday morning, leaving behind a scene of blackened ruins and harrowing survival stories. 

The blaze claimed the lives of at least nine individuals, including an infant, while several other residents sustained injuries during their desperate attempts to flee the smoke and flames.

The blaze, which spread rapidly across multiple floors, turned the building into a death trap as many residents were caught off guard while they were asleep.

Preliminary investigations suggest several structural or safety flaws may have prevented residents from evacuating in time, effectively trapping them inside as the fire spread.

Locked terrace, Single staircase

Recent findings highlight fatal safety failures that likely intensified the death toll. Both survivors and authorities noted that the locked terrace door blocked a vital escape route, trapping residents as smoke rose, as per reports.

Fire officials emphasised that if the roof had been accessible, many more people could have reached safety.

With the building’s only staircase located centrally, the sole exit route quickly became a fatal bottleneck. The discovery of numerous victims in this area suggests that the stairwell turned into a congested trap, preventing residents from escaping as they collided in the rush to flee, said reports.

Rescue efforts were further hampered by safety nets installed across the balconies, which acted as barriers for firefighters trying to reach those trapped inside. This delay proved critical, as the blaze reportedly originated at the rear of the property, effectively sealing off exits and leaving residents with nowhere to run.

Charred bodies recovered

According to Delhi Police, at least nine people lost their lives in the fire that broke out early Sunday morning in the four-storey building in Vivek Vihar area of Shahdara.

During the operation, nine charred bodies were recovered from different floors--one from the first floor, five from the second floor, and three from a locked staircase.

Police further confirmed that the fire affected flats on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors. Around 10-15 people were rescued during the operation, out of whom two with minor injuries were shifted to GTB Hospital.

Twelve fire tenders, along with DDMA staff, traffic personnel, and local police, were deployed at the scene.

Ministers express grief

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed deep sorrow over the loss of nine lives.

"The fire incident in a building in Vivek Vihar is extremely tragic. The loss of 9 lives in this accident has left me deeply distressed. Treatment of the injured in the accident is ongoing at the nearest hospital, and I pray for their swift recovery. In this hour of grief, my condolences are with the affected families. I pray to God to grant them the strength to endure this difficult time," the Delhi CM wrote.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Shahdara, Sanjay Goyal, expressed grief over the Vivek Vihar fire incident, stating that a short circuit is believed to be the primary cause of the devastating blaze that broke out in a building located in Block B of the area and rapidly spread across four floors.

"Some bodies have been converted into skeletons... Their identification will be done through DNA sampling. Police have taken photographs of the bodies for their identification... A short circuit is said to be the main cause behind this incident; however, some are saying it happened because of a blast in the AC," he added.