Representative image of a building fire
Credit: iStock Photo
New Delhi: The swift action of police averted a major tragedy in central Delhi as 44 labourers were rescued minutes before a blaze spread all over a four-storey building at a furniture market Nabi Karim area early Saturday morning, officials said.
A call about the fire was received at 3.20 am. It was also reported that smoke was coming out from the building's ground floor, which is used as a furniture godown, a police officer said.
The labourers were sleeping inside the building. It was found that there was an entry point to go on the upper floors but the shutter was closed.
"The local police, in a swift action, broke the shutter, opened the gate, and proceeded to the second and third floors, where the labourers were sleeping," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) M. Harsha Vardhan said.
Around 44 labourers were rescued before the fire spread all over the building and fire tenders arrived, he said.
An official of Delhi Fire Service (DFS) said at least seven fire tenders were pressed into service. It took four hours to control the blaze, he said.
The officer said no one was injured in the incident but the furniture and other wooden articles were gutted in the fire.
The cause of the fire is stated to be the short circuit, he said, adding further probe is underway.