Several young men and women used ropes to climb down the walls of a coaching centre Thursday after a fire broke out on the top floor of the building in New Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar area.
According to Delhi Fire Services officials, all students were rescued following the fire which broke out around noon and nobody sustained major injuries. Some of those who suffered injuries or suffocation because of smoke inhalation have been taken to Bara Hindu Rao Hospital, they added.
“Students were rescued with the help of local residents. Some students panicked and attempted to rappel down the building using a rope. No one is trapped inside the building. There were around 25-30 students at the centre who have been taken to the hospital,” said DCP North West Jitendra Kumar Meena.
“We estimate that there were over 100 students but we are still getting more details. Prima facie, it seems like the fire started in the electricity meter. We are investigating whether the building had a fire clearance,” added Meena.
In several videos of the incident, men and women could be seen scrambling to escape from the third floor through windows as smoke billowed out of them. While some could be seen hanging on to window ledges, the others rappelled down using ropes.
Local residents and others could also be seen trying to support the students while they were sliding down. Some even tried to help them out with a ladder, which, however, could reach only a third of the building’s length.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called the incident “very unfortunate” and tweeted, “Some students have suffered minor injuries while trying to escape, the rest are safe. There is no need to panic, the fire has been brought under control by the fire department. The district administration is also present at the spot”.
All buildings, where commercial activities are carried out, including coaching centres, are supposed to get a no-objection certificate and licence to operate from the fire department and the municipal corporation.
