A fire broke out in a five-storey residential building in Tughlakabad Extension, Delhi, early on Friday morning. Quick-thinking neighbours and residents helped save many lives during the incident, according to eyewitnesses and officials.
Among those who played a crucial role in the rescue efforts were Saurav Sharma, 35, and his 16-year-old daughter Anshu, who helped save a man's life by throwing a saree to him so he could climb down from the second floor. Three people died in the fire, while two family members and three residents suffered severe injuries.
The fire is suspected to have been triggered by a short circuit while an electric scooter was being charged in the parking area on the ground floor. The fifth floor of the building had been illegally constructed, officials said.
Residents of the neighbourhood said that within minutes of the fire breaking out, the entire lane was filled with smoke. Sharma was among the first people to call the police and the fire department, and locals had already rescued a few people by the time they arrived.
Delhi Fire Service officials praised the locals for their quick thinking and bravery, saying that they had already rescued people from the first, second, and third floors by the time they reached the scene.
