New Delhi, March 18 In a desperate attempt to escape the deadly fire that claimed nine lives in Palam, a one-and-a-half-year-old girl survived a fall from the third floor after overhead wires prevented her from falling – a split-second intervention that likely saved her life – even as her father leapt moments later in a final attempt to save her.
As the fire raged through the residential building in the southwest area on Wednesday, the man, identified as Anil, tried to flee with his daughter after a rescue ladder failed to reach them to the third floor.
During the fall, the child suffered fractures in both legs, while her father sustained head injuries. Both were rushed to Safdarjung Hospital.
Eyewitnesses said that Anil was attempting to save himself and his daughter but could not reach the ladder from the third floor. Holding the child, he tried to make his way through the smoke, but the poor visibility made it nearly impossible. In the chaos, the child slipped from his grasp and fell.
The impact of the fall was partially reduced by overhead wires, which slowed her descent. Neighbors said that as she neared the ground, a fire official attempted to catch her but missed due to the thick smoke; she brushed past his hand before hitting the ground, sustaining fractures in her legs.
Meanwhile, when Anil fell, he struck his head against a fire vehicle and sustained injuries.
Heartbreaking scenes unfolded as nine members of the family, including three children, died in the fire that broke out in the four-story building near Ram Chowk Market, close to the Palam Metro Station.
Eyewitnesses said that the fire had broken out on the ground floor and was intense.
Initial visuals showed light smoke billowing from a second-floor window of the house. Though not clearly visible in the footage, neighbors said that a few family members, including two children and a man, had gathered on the third-floor balcony, trying to wave away the smoke that was rising rapidly towards them as fire officials carried out rescue operations.
However, the fire soon spread, and the smoke grew denser. Amid thick grey plumes and continuous sprays of water, visuals showed Anil, on the third floor, frantically losing balance as he was unable to reach the staircase on the second floor.
According to visuals, neighbors and firefighters formed a human chain, positioning themselves like opposing sides in a tug-of-war, using rods and sticks to break open the shutters and gain access.
Narrating the incident, a neighbor said that a ladder had been placed up to the second floor. Anil, who was on the third floor, attempted to climb down with his daughter, but the ladder did not reach them.
"With the fire flaring up suddenly and the situation turning critical, Anil tried to lower the child while holding her, and amid the chaos, the child slipped from his grasp and fell, sustaining fractures in both legs," the neighbor said.
Neighbors further said that another family member, Sachin, 29, managed to reach the rooftop and jumped onto a neighboring house, but sustained burn injuries on his hands during the escape.
The four-story building in the congested market area housed a cloth and cosmetic showroom on the ground and first floor, while the family of the owner of the showroom lived on the second and third floors.
According to the eyewitness, the house had two entrances -- one shutter opened into the shop, while the other served as the main residential entry, leading to the staircase -- both rendered completely inaccessible due to the thick plumes of smoke which had engulfed the building.
Neighbors of the family said they made frantic attempts to get them out by trying to break windows and a portion of the wall of the building.
They also alleged that no safety nets or cushioning arrangements were put in place. The fire tender that arrived initially did not work, and another took nearly 50 minutes to reach the spot, delaying the rescue operation.
As part of a massive firefighting and rescue operation, around 30 fire tenders and 11 ambulances were pressed into service, along with personnel from the police, BSES, Air Force police and the NDRF.