At least nine people, including a toddler, lost their lives after a major fire broke out in a residential building in Delhi’s Vivek Vihar area of Shahdara early Sunday morning. Police said more than a dozen residents were rescued during the operation.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Rajendra Prasad Meena said 10 to 15 people were rescued, while two to three injured persons were sent to hospital. He confirmed that nine people died and that a search operation was still underway.
#WATCH | Delhi’s Vivek Vihar fire incident | Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Shahdara District, Rajendra Prasad Meena, says, “So far, 10-15 people have been rescued. 2-3 people are injured, and they have been sent to the hospital. Nine people have lost their
lives in the… pic.twitter.com/N3OUPbB9BA
— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2026
What we know about the fire?
The incident was reported in the early hours, with a PCR call received at 3:48 am at Vivek Vihar police station. Delhi Fire Services said they were alerted at 3:47 am and rushed multiple teams to the spot. By 5 am, a total of 14 fire tenders had been deployed.
Officials said the fire started in household items and quickly spread to at least six flats. The blaze affected flats on the second, third and fourth floors, making rescue operations more difficult.
Firefighting and rescue efforts continued for more than five hours due to the building’s layout and the number of people trapped. Flats located at both the front and rear sides complicated access for firefighters.
Police teams, along with the Station House Officer and Assistant Commissioner of Police, reached the spot soon after the alert. Personnel from the District Disaster Management Authority, traffic police and local police also joined the operation.
Two injured persons were taken to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital for treatment.
Bodies recovered
The fire was brought under control around 6:25 am and completely extinguished after 8 am. Firefighters then began search operations inside the building.
Officials said one body was found on the first floor, five on the second floor and three on the staircase. Police confirmed that nine bodies were recovered and further investigation is ongoing.
Victims identified
Among the deceased, one person from the first floor was identified as Shikha Jain (45).
Those found on the second floor included a 1.5-year-old toddler, Arvind (60), Anita Jain (58), Nishant Jain (35) and Anchal Jain (33).
On the third floor, victims included Nitin Jain (around 50), his wife Shailey Jain (48) and their son Samyak Jain (25). Naveen Jain (48) was reported injured.
What eye witnesses said?
Residents suggested that an air conditioner blast may have triggered the fire, though officials have not confirmed the cause. One local said sparks were first seen from an external AC outlet.
Another resident said more than 10 fire tenders arrived and around 20 people were rescued, some through balconies. He added that one or two families might still be inside the building.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta described the incident as “extremely tragic” and expressed condolences to the families of the victims. She said the loss of nine lives had left her deeply distressed and confirmed that treatment of the injured was ongoing.
She added that senior officials from the administration, Delhi Fire Service, Delhi Police and the District Disaster Management Authority were fully engaged in relief and rescue efforts.
