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
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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."



Russian Air Attacks Injure Several, Spark Fire in Kharkiv, Ukraine Officials Say 

Rescuers of the State Emergency Service work to extinguish a fire in a building after a drone strike in Kharkiv, on January 28, 2025, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (AFP)
Rescuers of the State Emergency Service work to extinguish a fire in a building after a drone strike in Kharkiv, on January 28, 2025, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (AFP)
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Russian Air Attacks Injure Several, Spark Fire in Kharkiv, Ukraine Officials Say 

Rescuers of the State Emergency Service work to extinguish a fire in a building after a drone strike in Kharkiv, on January 28, 2025, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (AFP)
Rescuers of the State Emergency Service work to extinguish a fire in a building after a drone strike in Kharkiv, on January 28, 2025, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (AFP)

An overnight Russian air attack injured four people, set a private business on fire and damaged several houses in Kharkiv, a city that has been under intermittent Russian fire since the start of the war, Ukrainian officials said on Tuesday.

A 62-year-old woman was hospitalized and a 66-year-old man was injured when debris from a destroyed Russian drone fell, damaging several houses in the Kharkiv district that includes and surrounds the city of Kharkiv, regional governor said.

Emergency services were called soon after midnight to a private business that caught fire in Kharkiv in result of a Russian drone attack, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said on his Telegram messaging app.

Ukraine's state emergency service said the fire engulfed production facilities. Two people suffered acute stress reactions, including a child, the emergency service said.

It was not immediately clear what facility was burning. Video footage showed massive flames coming from what looked like an industrial building.

There was no immediate comment from Russia. Both sides deny targeting civilians in the nearly three-year war that Russia started with a full-scale invasion on Ukraine in February 2022.

Two women and two men were also injured in Russian attacks on the region of Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine, the governor of the region, Ivan Fedorov, said on Telegram. Russia launched 362 strikes on settlements in the region over the past day, he said.

Russia also launched drone attacks on the Black Sea port of Odesa, damaging several residential buildings and cars. According to preliminary information, there were no injuries, the mayor of the city said on Telegram.