عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

Building Fire Leaves Scores of Victims in New Delhi

Rescue members and onlookers stand as fire fighters douse a fire that broke out at a commercial building in Delhi's western suburb May 13, 2022. REUTERS/Stringer
Rescue members and onlookers stand as fire fighters douse a fire that broke out at a commercial building in Delhi's western suburb May 13, 2022. REUTERS/Stringer
TT
20
TT

Building Fire Leaves Scores of Victims in New Delhi

Rescue members and onlookers stand as fire fighters douse a fire that broke out at a commercial building in Delhi's western suburb May 13, 2022. REUTERS/Stringer
Rescue members and onlookers stand as fire fighters douse a fire that broke out at a commercial building in Delhi's western suburb May 13, 2022. REUTERS/Stringer

Police in New Delhi arrested two people suspected of flouting fire safety regulations on Saturday after at least 27 people died and dozens more were injured in a massive blaze at a building housing a manufacturing unit for surveillance cameras.

Rescue teams worked overnight to clear the burnt out four-story building near a railway station in the western suburbs.

More than 75 people were in the building when the fire broke out on Friday evening. Some jumped from windows to save themselves, according to eyewitnesses, and firefighters broke the glass and rescued people with ropes.

Authorities said fire started in an office on the first floor and spread rapidly. Two owners of the company were arrested as part of probe to identify suspected safety violations.

The Indian capital of 20 million people is currently suffering through a heatwave, with temperatures of up to 46 Celsius (115 Fahrenheit) recorded in some places.

Last month, the heatwave caused a huge trash dump to catch fire. It burned for days, adding to the megacity's deadly air pollution.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences to loved ones of the fire victims via Twitter.

"Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a tragic fire in Delhi. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I wish the injured a speedy recovery," Modi said.

He promised 200,000 rupees ($2,580) in compensation for the victims' next-of-kin.

"Distressed by the tragic fire accident... My condolences to the bereaved families. I wish for speedy recovery of the injured," President Ram Nath Kovind's office tweeted.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: "Shocked and pained to know abt this tragic incident. I am constantly in touch (with) officers. Our brave firemen are trying their best to control the fire and save lives."

Most Viewed

 
World

Washington Rejects ‘Chinese Influence’ in Panama Canal

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez, and Southcom Commander Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey during a tour of the Panama Canal’s Miraflores Locks in Panama City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AFP) 
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez, and Southcom Commander Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey during a tour of the Panama Canal’s Miraflores Locks in Panama City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AFP) 
TT
20
TT

Washington Rejects ‘Chinese Influence’ in Panama Canal

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez, and Southcom Commander Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey during a tour of the Panama Canal’s Miraflores Locks in Panama City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AFP) 
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez, and Southcom Commander Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey during a tour of the Panama Canal’s Miraflores Locks in Panama City, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AFP) 

The United States will not allow China to “threaten” the operations of the Panama Canal, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned adding that his country does “not seek war with China” but will act to deter Chinese “threats” in the Americas.

“We do not seek war with China...But together, we must prevent war by robustly and vigorously deterring China's threats in this hemisphere,” Hegseth said on the second day of his visit to Panama, whose canal is at the center of a row between China and the United States.

“Today, the Panama Canal faces ongoing threats,” Hegseth said in a speech at a police station located at the entry to the shipping route.

“The United States of America will not allow communist China or any other country to threaten the canal's operation or integrity,” he added.

US and Chinese firms fight for business on the waterway after President Donald Trump threatened to seize it.

His administration has vowed to “take back” control of the interoceanic waterway that the United States funded, built and controlled until 1999.

A Hong Kong company operates two ports at either end of the canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific, through which five percent of all global shipping passes.

“I want to be very clear. China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal. And China will not weaponize this canal,” Hegseth said, calling it a “wonder of the world.”

Speaking after a meeting with President Jose Raul Mulino, Hegseth added that the US and Panama together would “take back the Panama Canal from China's influence” and keep it open to all nations, using the “deterrent power of the... most lethal fighting force in the world.”

He claimed that China's control of critical infrastructure in the canal area gave Beijing the power to conduct spying activities across Panama, making the Central American nation and the United States “less secure, less prosperous and less sovereign.”

Shortly after the meeting, the Chinese Embassy in Panama issued a statement refuting Hegseth's claim, labeling it as “not at all responsible or founded.”

“China has never taken part in the management or operation of the Panama Canal, nor has it interfered in issues” concerning the waterway, the statement said, calling on Washington to halt “blackmail” and “plundering” of Panama and other countries of the region.

It added that the United States “has orchestrated a sensationalist campaign based on the 'China threat theory' so as to undermine cooperation between China and Panama.”

“China has always respected Panama's sovereignty with regard to the canal,” the embassy said.

In March, CK Hutchison announced an agreement to sell 43 ports in 23 countries -- including its two on the canal -- to a group led by giant US asset manager BlackRock for $19 billion in cash.

A furious Beijing has since announced an antitrust review of the deal, which likely prevented the parties from signing an agreement on April 2 as had been planned.

Hegseth's visit to Panama comes two months after that of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Shortly after that visit Panama announced it was pulling out of Chinese President Xi Jinping's landmark global infrastructure program, the Belt and Road Initiative.