Four major fire incidents in Delhi

Four major fire incidents were reported from the national capital today, including one at former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan's residence and another at the Income Tax office.Four persons, including a three-year-old girl, were injured and two expensive cars and various items in a saree shop were gutted in the incidents, fire brigade and police officials said.The incidents came a day after Comptroller and auditor general (CAG) pointed out in its performance audit of the fire brigade that fire safety and prevention measures were not adequately enforced in many buildings in the capital.A fire broke out in the Paswan's 12 Janpath residence here this afternoon, in which two expensive cars were gutted. 

The blaze was reported from the garage at around 3:15 pm and three fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames, fire brigade officials said. They said the fire broke out in the fibre sheet apparently due to a short circuit. 

Two cars -- an Audi and a Honda Accord -- were gutted in the incident but no one was injured. The LJP chief was in Patna when the incident took place.Last year on May 13, a fire broke out in the same house due to a short circuit in which several household items, including cupboards, antique statues, sofa sets and chairs were destroyed.Another incident was reported from Income Tax Office here in which a labourer suffered minor burn injuries. Seven labourers were trapped inside the fourth floor of the building at ITO crossing after the fire broke out when they were engaged in woodwork there.Sixteen fire tenders were rushed to douse the flames and the labourers were rescued, fire officials said, adding one of them received minor injuries. The reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained.In the third incident, a fire broke out in a shop in a busy market in central Delhi but no one was injured.    The blaze was reported from the saree shop on Ajmal KhanRoad in Karol Bagh at around 2 pm. Eight fire tenders wererushed to the spot to douse the flames.     The fire broke out due to an electrical short-circuit.The officials said no one was injured in the incident and theywere ascertaining the loss.     In the fourth incident, a three-year-old girl and herparents were injured when a fire broke out in a slum clusterin south Delhi's Kishangarh early this morning.     The three were identified as Pappu and Seema, both 26,and their three-year-old daughter Priyanka.     They were rushed to Safdarjung hospital where they wereundergoing treatment. "The fire may have been caused becauseof a carelessly thrown bidi...but we are yet to ascertain thecause," officials said. PTI SJYSDG04021759NNNN