Portion of building collapses after fire, one feared trapped in Naraina

Owner of a paint and electrical goods godown is feared trapped under the debris of a three-storey building that collapsed due to a fire in West Delhi's Naraina early Tuesday, an official of the Delhi Fire Services said.

Police said a PCR call regarding the fire was received at the Naraina police station around 2.45 am. The flames were initially noticed around 2.15 am, and locals alerted the fire brigade in person, as the station was close to the site, they said.

The owner of the shop located on the ground floor of the building, identified as Rohan, a resident of Rajouri Garden, had reportedly entered the premises about half an hour before the PCR call and had not been traced since, the police said.

A Delhi Fire Services officer said 26 fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the flames were brought under control by 8 am, after which a cooling operation began. Around 7.30 am, the second and third floors of the structure collapsed, the officials said.

All emergency agencies, including Delhi Police, DDMA, NDRF, DDA, MCD and DFS, are engaged in ongoing mitigation and search operations.

A case under Section 287 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered, the police said.

The cause of the fire will be ascertained after a detailed inspection.