New Delhi, April 27, 2025: A devastating fire swept through the Bengali Basti slum cluster in Rohini Sector 17 on Sunday morning, claiming the lives of two children and injuring one adult. The fire broke out around 11:30 am, gutting at least 200 hutments and leaving more than 600 residents homeless, officials from Delhi Fire Services (DFS) confirmed.
Fire Spread Rapidly, Over 100 Firefighters Deployed
The blaze, suspected to have started due to an LPG cylinder explosion, quickly spread through the densely packed, flammable hutments. 26 fire tenders and over 100 personnel battled the flames for more than three hours before the fire was brought under control by 2:00 pm. Cooling operations continued into the evening.
“The cause of the fire is under investigation, but multiple cylinder blasts and engulfed gas pipelines caused rapid spread,” said DFS divisional officer Sandeep Duggal.
Victims Identified, Search Operations Carried Out
The victims were identified as Sadia Khatoon (3) and Alam Sheikh (4). One resident, Shabul Sheikh (28), suffered injuries but is stable. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Amit Goel confirmed that while 800 shanties existed in the five-acre settlement, only around 200 were completely destroyed.
Firemen continued search operations post-fire to locate additional victims, but no other casualties were found by the time operations ended around 3:30 pm.
Grief and Loss Among Residents
Most families residing in Bengali Basti are migrant workers from West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand, working as domestic helps, ragpickers, laborers, and e-rickshaw drivers. The victims’ families shared heart-wrenching stories of how the fire robbed them of their children and all possessions.
Mitthu Sheikh (38), father of deceased Alam, said, “My eldest daughter ran out with two sons but Alam was asleep and trapped inside. When firemen found his body, it was completely charred.”
Shamim Shah (27), father of Sadia, recounted, “I had just stepped out to buy her juice and chips. In moments, fire engulfed our neighborhood. I saved my son, but she ran inside a neighbor’s burning hut and didn’t survive.”
Residents Left With Nothing
Many residents lamented the loss of all their belongings — clothes, documents, savings, jewelry, and even pets. “We’re left with nothing but the clothes on our backs. Our children are crying for milk and food,” said Shah, reflecting the shared helplessness among hundreds affected.
Local authorities have not yet confirmed compensation or relief measures, although disaster teams and ambulances were present at the site.
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