4 dead, 3 injured in fire at five-storey building in Delhi's Rohini
New Delhi (PTI): Four people died and three got injured in a fire that broke out at a five-storey building housing multiple manufacturing units in Rithala area of Delhi's Rohini, police said on Wednesday.
Sixteen fire tenders were rushed to the building, located in Rohini Sector-5 area, after the fire department received a call regarding a blaze there at around 7.30 pm on Tuesday, officials said.
Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg said the incident was reported from a premises located near Rithala Metro Station.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and further investigation is in progress. Search operations are still underway to ascertain if any one is still trapped debris. Police have so far recovered four charred bodies, officials said.
Initially, three injured -- Nitin Bansal (31) and Rakesh (30), both with 80 per cent burn injuries, and Virender (25) who sustained minor burns -- were rescued and taken to BSA Hospital, a firefighter said.
However, Nitin and Rakesh were later shifted to RML Hospital for further treatment, he added.
At around 1.15 am on Wednesday, fire personnel recovered three charred bodies from the first floor, the officer said, adding that later another body was found.
The fire department officials said the blaze was brought under control on the lower floors by 6 am, but firefighting operations are still underway on the third and top floor due to heavy smoke.
Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO) of DFS Rajesh Kumar said that the cooling process is still underway.
According to sources in the DFS, the building has no fire safety certificate or proper area from where people can evacuate the premises in case of emergency.
The firefighter added that upon reaching the spot, their team had to deploy a JCB machine to drill a hole in the wall, after which firefighting operations were initiated.
“Initially we got to know that there was chemical stored in the ground floor for the printing purpose," he said.
According to police, a PCR call regarding the blaze was received at Budh Vihar Police Station at 7.29 pm on Tuesday, following which the emergency officer along with local police staff rushed to the spot at Rana Complex, Gate No. 2, Rithala, where several people were reported trapped inside a burning building.
The five-storey building houses several manufacturing units.
The police said the ground and first floors were used for making readymade and plastic bags by Nitin Bansal, son of the building's owner Suresh Bansal.
The second floor was rented to Anand for fabric-related work, while the third and top floor were being used as godown space by Rakesh Arora, who dealt in disposable articles.
Inder Sharma, a resident of the area, said, "I received a call from nearby residents who asked me to remove my car from the spot. Some locals rushed to the spot to help people."
Sharma also claimed that some of the residents of the building had jumped from the first and second floor and were rushed to a nearby hospital.
"How many people were trapped inside the building during the fire is still unknown. I saw that the firefighters first drilled a hole using a JCB machine. All the firefighters, police teams and local residents were helping each other to save lives," Sharma added.
Another resident said the fire started from the ground floor and engulfed the entire building due to wind.
"After the cooling operation by DFS is complete, police teams, forensic experts and crime teams will visit the location for a detailed investigation," a police officer said.
Another local resident Satbir Chauhan said that some of the people jumped from the second floor of the building after nearby residents started shouting about the fire.
"I rushed three people to the hospital. The incident is very tragic and everyone must learn a lesson that keeping fire safety equipment is very important," Chauhan said.
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Punjab CM Mann lays foundation stone of Rs 14.63 crore sports stadium in Sangrur
Sangrur (PTI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday laid the foundation stone of a Rs 14.63 crore modern sports stadium here, underscoring that expanding access to quality playgrounds alongside a strong education system is key to steering the youth towards "purpose, performance, and global achievement".
The stadium coming up on 4.38 acres in Satouj will offer professional training and host a wide range of sports including badminton, handball, judo, netball, basketball, volleyball, football, gymnastics, kabaddi and karate, according to an official release.
"It is a historic day for the region as this stadium is coming up at a cost of Rs 14.63 crore. This stadium will be constructed over an area of 4.38 acres, and the complex will host various sporting activities," Mann said.
"The stadium will have a 200-metre athletic track, pavilion for spectators and players and a multipurpose indoor sports hall," he said.
While highlighting the wide range of facilities being created, Mann said professional training opportunities will be provided to children and youngsters in the stadium, adding that this project will ensure that the area emerges as a sports hub.
Emphasising the importance of balanced development, he said, "When there is a good school for education and a proper ground for sports, a child can bring glory to their village, state, and country on the global stage."
Reaffirming the Punjab government's focus on youth development, Mann said, "It is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction that the Punjab government is successfully providing world-class facilities for education and sports."
This project will help in further breaking the backbone of drugs by fostering sporting culture in the state, and it will help in channelising the unbounded energy of youth of state in a positive manner, he said.
Such stadiums will play an important role in helping the youth stay away from the curse of drugs and in order to encourage the youngsters to realise their dreams of winning medals in national and international sporting events, the CM said.
Later, Mann launched an ultra-modern community health centre here that aims to benefit the residents of 85 villages. It is equipped with round-the-clock emergency services, surgical facilities, treatment for serious illnesses and specialist care for children, he said.
Mann alleged that previous governments neglected regions like Dirba and kept development restricted. He said his government is reversing this by investing public money back into villages through hospitals, schools, libraries and roads.
"To impart quality health services to people, we have dedicated the CHC at village Kauhrian... This ambitious project has been completed at a cost of Rs 13.23 crore and the centre has a capacity of 30 beds," he said.
He further noted, "The CHC will also have paediatric specialists for treating children's diseases, and free treatment along with all necessary tests for mothers and children will be provided."
Mann added that dental treatment will also be provided by a specialist at the facility.
