NEW DELHI: Two separate incidents of fires in residential buildings were reported from different parts of the city, with timely rescues preventing casualties.In the first incident, five people, including a baby and two elderly women, were rescued by the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) after a fire broke out at a residential building in northwest Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh on Wednesday morning.Two of the residents — Asha (76) and her househelp Dhara (30) — were rescued from the fourth floor, while three others — Hryday (1.5), his mother Gitika (30), and grandmother Pinky (60) — were brought out from the third floor.DFS received a call about the blaze around 10 am and initially rushed two fire tenders with around 10 personnel to the spot. Two additional tenders, along with more firefighters, were dispatched shortly after.The fire is suspected to have started on the upper ground floor of the five-storey building after a split air conditioner exploded. Though residents initially tried to control the flames using fire extinguishers, the fire was not fully contained and spread further. Some residents also managed to escape from their balconies using ladders.A fire official at the scene said, “There was heavy smoke and only a single entry-exit point. It was difficult to evacuate the elderly women using ladders, so one team focused on containing the fire while others rescued those trapped via the staircase.” The blaze was brought under control soon after.In another incident, a 41-year-old man was rescued by Delhi Police after a fire broke out in a house in outer Delhi’s Amrit Vihar.The man, identified as Tushar Anurag, was found trapped on the first floor after police received a PCR call about the fire at the Swaroop Nagar police station on Sunday. He was promptly rescued by the responding personnel.DFS also reached the spot and extinguished the fire shortly thereafter.
