Massive fire near Rithala metro station in Delhi engulfs hundreds of shanties, 1 dead
New Delhi (PTI): A man died and another sustained burn injuries after a massive fire broke out spreading to around 500 shanties near Rithala metro station in Delhi's Rohini, the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the fire that erupted late Friday evening was brought fully under control by deploying adequate teams and those affected in the incident were being provided relief.
In a post on X, she said the injured were rushed to the hospital and relief and rehabilitation work was swiftly underway. The affected were provided food and water and temporary shelters were set up to shift them.
Police said several LPG cylinders were said to have exploded late Friday evening, intensifying the blaze and triggering panic among residents.
Thick plumes of smoke were seen rising from the area even as locals scrambled to save their belongings and move to safer places. Preliminary information suggests that 400 to 500 huts have been gutted, fire officials said.
The DFS said it received a call regarding the blaze at 10.56 pm, following which multiple fire tenders and firefighting robots were rushed to the spot.
Police cordoned off the area and additional fire tenders were kept on standby to prevent the fire from spreading further.
The fire was brought under control by early morning, a DFS official said. Munna died in the fire while Rajesh was injured in the incident.
CM Gupta said the Delhi government is providing all possible help to the affected families.
"Arrangements for food and drinking water have been made for the affected people. Temporary shelter sites are being established, while the permanent relief centre at Rithala community centre is operational," the chief minister posted.
"24×7 CATs ambulances and medical teams have been deployed. Debris removal work by MCD and verification of affected families by the revenue department are ongoing," she said.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
