Delhi man, 2 kids die after jumping from burning building

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Last updated on: June 11, 2025 00:38 IST

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Three members of a family, including two children, were killed after they jumped from a balcony to escape a massive fire that broke out in their eighth and ninth-floor duplex flat in Delhi's Dwarka area on Tuesday morning, police said.

IMAGE: A massive fire breaks out on the 7th floor of a Delhi apartment in Dwarka. Photograph: X

The fire started from a temple inside the house located on the eighth floor of the building and quickly spread through PVC panels, a senior police official said.

The deceased were identified as Yash Yadav (41), his daughter Ashima (12), and his nephew Shivam Yadav (11).

 

The family lived in a duplex on the top two floors of the building. Yadav, who had moved to Delhi with his family 10 years ago, was originally from Etah in Uttar Pradesh.

The official said Yadav's sister, her children, and his sister-in-law had gathered at his flat in Dwarka's Shabad Apartment in Sector 13 after attending a religious event (Bhagwat Katha). There were 12 people in the house at the time of the incident.

When the fire broke out around 9:30 am, all members of the family tried to escape by using the stairs to reach the ninth floor.

However, Ashima and Shivam got trapped, and Yash returned to save them, police said. They took shelter on the eighth-floor balcony, believing it would be safer than staying inside, as the stairs were also engulfed in flames.

WATCH: Huge fire engulfs a housing apartment in Delhi's Dwarka 

"When the fire spread, the balcony window panes shattered, and intense flames burnt Yadav's face and arms," said his relative Yogesh Yadav.

According to Yogesh, Yadav jumped first, and moments later, both Ashima and Shivam also jumped from the balcony. Several videos of the incident surfaced online, showing them jumping from the building.

The children were rushed to Akash Hospital, where they were declared dead. Yash was rushed to IGI Hospital, where he was declared dead as well.

Two other family members, Yash's wife and his elder son (18), suffered injuries. Yadav's sister and nephew, along with a few other relatives, had come to stay at his residence for a religious event being held at Mohan Gardens nearby.

"Bhagwat Katha was being held at his sister's house about 3 kilometers away, and the family had returned late Sunday night to rest. No one could imagine this would happen," said Yadav's friend Amit Bhandari, who could barely hold back tears.

Visuals from the site showed the building engulfed in flames, with people standing in their balconies and crying for help.

According to the Delhi Fire Service, the department received a call about the blaze at 10:01 am. Initially, eight fire tenders were rushed to the spot, but as the magnitude of the fire became evident, more engines were deployed.

Black smoke billowed from the upper floors, and flames leaped out of the flat, a fire officer present at the spot said.

Several videos of the incident surfaced on social media, showing passersby filming the scene on their mobile phones.

"God help them!" said a voice in a video recorded by a woman from an adjacent building.

Family members alleged that the fire brigade arrived late.

"Many calls were made to the fire department, but their teams reached the spot 45 minutes later. There was hardly any equipment installed for fire safety," claimed Yogesh Yadav, the victim's kin.

A police officer said that when the incident occurred, all essential services such as electricity and PNG connections had been shut down. He added that the DDA and MCD have been informed to assess the structural stability of the building.

"Yadav was a sharp person. During COVID-19, when he was sitting idle, he launched his interior design business, as flex printing was not working at that time. He was very jolly, kind, and helpful," said Yadav's friend Bhandari.

Many locals who witnessed the incident blamed security guards for closing the main door of the society.

"The security guards closed the doors when we were going inside to help. After several requests, they opened the door, and we rushed inside to help others," said a resident who requested anonymity.

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