NEW DELHI: Six people, including three children, were killed and 13 injured in a massive fire at a four-storey residential building in a congested area in Southeast Delhi's Zakir Nagar due to a short circuit in electrical wiring early on Tuesday, officials said.
"I feel sorry, I could not save the child," said fire officer Mohan Lal, who took out a little boy's body from the fire-ravaged building.
Lal, was among the four fire department officials who were injured in the blaze at the four-storey residential building.
The 40-year-old suffered injuries during the rescue operation.
"I have never done this much of hard work before. During the operation, a moment came when we thought we would die here.
However, we managed to come out of the building and rescue residents, Lal said.
But, despite he saving a lot of lives, Lal said he was not feeling happy because he could not save the child.
"I was carrying him. He was declared brought dead at the hospital," he said.
Delhi Fire Service Director Vipin Kental said the long stretch leading to the building was dotted with several lanes and bylanes, making it difficult for fire engines to reach there after the fire started at 2.30am.
The lane was so congested that only one vehicle could pass through it at a time, he said adding several vehicles were parked on roads and public had gathered in the area.
He said the stilt vehicle parking was closed from three sides with the stairs being at the far end.
"We had to cross the burning vehicles to reach the staircase which was filled with smoke. There were seven cars and 19 motorcycles parked and were burning," he said.
To avoid delay, the firemen entered the building without oxygen masks, he said, explaining "it is difficult to lift people on your back when you are carrying a oxygen cylinder."
"Some people jumped from the building to save their lives before we reached there. But when we reached the spot, we did not allow anyone to jump and took them out of their houses with the help of ladder. I took two children on my shoulder," said Ram Niwas, a member of the rescue team who was injured during the operation.
"Some of the firemen entered through the blaze while we used the ladder to enter the first floor and rescue those who were trapped on the top floors. To rescue people from the third and the fourth floor, fire-fighters had to break down the wall of one of the apartments on the third floor and reach those who were trapped. The whole building was full of smoke and flame and it was not easy for the firemen to enter it. However, we decided to break the wall of adjacent building on the third floor and pulled out people from there," said Tarachand, another member.
The terrace was locked due to which people could not leave the building, a senior fire officer said.