Delhi HC takes suo moto cognizance of Mukherjee Nagar fire incident, seeks response within 2 weeks

New Delhi [India], June 16 (ANI): Delhi High Court on Friday took suo moto cognizance of the Mukherjee Nagar Fire Incident. The vacation bench issued a notice to the Delhi Fire Service, Delhi Police and MCD and sought a response within two weeks.

The bench also directed the Delhi Fire Service to conduct a fire safety audit and to check whether fire safety certificates were issued or not.

At least 61 people were admitted to three hospitals after a fire broke out in a coaching centre building in Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar on Thursday, an official statement said.

Out of 61 people, there were 60 students and one guard. 50 students have been discharged from hospitals while the remaining 11 including the guard are under treatment.

According to the statement, around 200-250 students from different coaching centres were attending the classes at the time of the incident.

About 10 fire tenders and 16 CAT ambulances reached the spot and the rescue and relief work was conducted. The fire was extinguished and the students from the first floor and second floor were rescued from the building, the statement added.

The place of occurrence was got inspected and photographed by the district crime team.

The place of occurrence has been inspected by the forensic team of FSL, Rohini.

A case under sections 336/337/338/120B/34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered in PS Mukherjee Nagar and further investigation is in progress.

Meanwhile, students of various coaching centres in Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar staged a protest and blocked the road after the incident. The students raised slogans and held posters demanding justice.

Delhi Police PRO Suman Nalwa said the fire broke out in an electricity meter of the building.

“A few students received injuries as they were escaping from the building where the fire broke out today. No person is trapped in the building. The fire broke out in the electricity meter of the building. Panic caused due to rising smoke,” she said.

However, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited in a statement said, “Regarding the recent fire incident at the coaching centre in Mukherjee Nagar, this is to clarify that the reason for the fire is currently unknown. According to on-ground team inspection and prima facia, the smoke triggered in the Air Conditioning unit on the fourth floor and not around the electricity meters; however, the police have barricaded the area, and further investigation is underway.”

“All persons have been rescued from the building, the fire-fighting operation has concluded,” the Fire Services official said.