New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) After a tragic fire at a building in New Delhi’s Palam claimed nine lives on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences and announced an aid of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased.

A major fire broke out in a multi-storey building located in Ram Market, Palam, in the morning, leaving at least nine people dead and several others injured.

“The fire incident in Palam, Delhi, is saddening. I extend my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.

“An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000,” it added.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has initiated a magisterial investigation.

The information regarding the incident was received at Police Station Palam Village at around 7.04 a.m., following which the Station House Officer (SHO) and police staff rushed to the spot.

The fire erupted in a four-storey building situated at WZ-124A, Ram Chowk Market. According to officials, the basement, ground floor, and first floor of the building housed a cloth and cosmetic showroom owned by Rajender Kashyap, who is also the Market Pradhan, while his family resided on the upper floors.

The rescue teams managed to evacuate some people from the building and shift them to nearby hospitals. However, casualties were reported from multiple medical facilities.

At Manipal Hospital, eight people — identified as Pravesh (33), Kamal (39), Ashu (35), Lado (70 ), Himanshi (22) and three minor girls aged 15, 6, and 3 years — were declared dead.

At IGI Hospital, one woman, identified as Deepika (approx. 28 years old), was declared brought dead; one male, Anil (approx. 32 years old) and one girl (two years old) are undergoing treatment.

At Safdarjung Hospital, a man named Sachin (29) was admitted with around 25 per cent burn injuries.

–IANS

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