The investigation into the Malviya Nagar fire is with Delhi Police under BNS. A fire official cited the building's sealed windows and single staircase as reasons for the high death toll of 21, as occupants were trapped by the ground-floor fire.
Investigation Highlights Critical Safety Failures
The investigation of the Malviya Nagar fire tragedy is with the Delhi police under the BNS, said Chief Fire Officer AK Malik on Thursday. "We observed that the building was so designed that the occupants find it very difficult to escape because what we observed during the firefighting and search and rescue operation, which we conducted, the complete building is sealed. All the windows of the building are sealed properly and permanently... In such buildings, an occupant has very few seconds or minutes to escape from the building. One main reason is that the fire was on the ground floor. So they don't get a chance to escape from the building... In this case, the building was ground plus five, and under the building by-law, it required two staircases..." he said.
High-Powered Committee to Survey Similar Buildings
According to the FIR, 21 persons were killed, and 28 others sustained injuries in the incident. He also informed about administrative action taken after the incident, saying, " Delhi LG took cognisance of the incident, and he was very serious about it. A high-level meeting was called in the evening, and it was decided that a high-powered committee would be constituted, led by the DM of the district having members including the DC of the MCD as well as the DCP of the Delhi police. This committee will carry out the survey of such buildings."
Hotel Owner Remanded to Police Custody
A Delhi court on Thursday remanded Lovkesh Bajaj, owner of Flourish Stays Hotel in Malviya Nagar, to four days of police custody in connection with the fire tragedy. Bajaj was produced before Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Bhanu Pratap Singh at Saket Courts following his arrest by Delhi Police. The police have booked him under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Section 326(g) (mischief by fire), Section 324(5) (mischief causing damage to property), Section 125 (endangering life and personal safety of others), and Section 287 (negligent conduct with fire). (ANI)
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