Building Fire Kills 27 in New Delhi

Police in New Delhi arrested two people suspected of flouting fire safety regulations on Saturday after at least 27 people died in a blaze at a building housing a manufacturing unit for surveillance cameras.

‘Rescue teams worked overnight’ to clear the burnt out four-storey building near a railway station in the western suburbs.

More than 75 people were in the building when the fire broke out on Friday evening. “Some jumped from windows” to save themselves, according to eyewitnesses, and ‘firefighters broke the glass and rescued people with ropes.’

Authorities said “fire started in an office on the first floor and spread rapidly.” Two owners of the company were arrested as part of probe to identify suspected safety violations.

Offering condolences, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised 200,000 rupees ($2,580) in compensation for the victims’ next-of-kin.

Reuters /Shakirat Sadiq