NEW DELHI: A tragic fire in a high-rise residential building in Dwarka Sector-13 on Tuesday claimed the lives of a self-made entrepreneur, his daughter, and a nephew, turning a religious gathering into a day of mourning.
Yash Yadav (40), a flex printing trader, was living in a ninth-floor duplex flat at Shabad Society with his family for the past two years. When the fire broke out, Yadav attempted to escape along with his daughter Ashima(11) and nephew Shivam, but all three ultimately died after jumping from the balcony in a desperate attempt to escape the flames.
The incident coincided with the last day of a Bhagwat Katha being held at the home of Yash’s sister, located just a few kilometers away. Several relatives from Uttar Pradesh had come to attend the event and were staying at Yash’s flat for rest.
Amit Bhandari, a close friend, described Yadav as “one of the most hardworking people I have ever met.” He said, “Yash came to Delhi from UP and built his business from scratch. During the COVID-19 period, when his flex business struggled, he started an interior design venture. It’s still unclear how the fire started. People from the upper floors reported seeing smoke before they rushed out.”
Bhandari urged the government to conduct strict checks on fire safety norms in residential buildings to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Amit Kumar, a driver in the society, recalled trying to help from below. “We shouted at them to move to the shaft area so they could be rescued. Yash said he couldn’t reach that spot. As the fire intensified, they jumped,” he said.
Another eyewitness said, “I work in a nearby society. I was buying vegetables when I saw people hanging from a balcony. I rushed over and, with others, broke into a flat on the eighth floor. We rescued a woman and child using bedsheets. But the three victims were on the other side and were also crying for help. People kept urging them not to jump, but they had no choice. I tried going upstairs but couldn’t due to the heat.” Yash’s wife, Mamta, is currently undergoing treatment in a hospital. His son Aditya and other relatives managed to escape in time. Yogesh Yadav, Yash’s nephew, confirmed that there were about 12 people in the house at the time of the fire. “The relatives had come from UP for the Katha and were resting at Yash’s flat,” he said. Residents raised concerns about the poor condition of the building. Some relatives said that if mattresses had been laid out below, the victims might have survived the fall. They plan to take the bodies to Etah, their hometown, for last rites.
As per the locals the fire started in the middle part of the house, leading some to flee outside while others were trapped near the balcony.