A firefighter in action at Brahmaputra Apartment on Baba Kharak Singh Marg on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: SHASHI SHEKHAR KASHYAP
A fire broke out on Tuesday at Brahmaputra Apartment on Baba Kharak Singh Marg, which houses Members of Parliament, a Delhi Fire Services official said.
No fatalities were reported. Two girls, aged 13 and 18, sustained minor burn injuries while escaping the building, according to the official. A pet dog also received minor injuries during the rescue operation.
The official said that a call about the fire was received at 1.22 p.m., and 14 fire tenders were pressed into service, bringing the blaze under control by 2.10 p.m.
Visuals of the apartment showed thick, black smoke billowing into the sky from a distance, engulfing the building and casting a dark haze over the surrounding area.
According to the DFS, the blaze started around 1.10 p.m. in the stilt parking area of one of the residential towers in the eight-storey building, where furniture and wooden household items were stored. The building, located close to Parliament, has servant quarters on the first three floors.
According to residents, some children were bursting firecrackers near discarded couches and furniture, which led to the blaze. A few residents also claimed that a gas pipeline and a cylinder blast made the fire worse.
The DFS official said that the parking area was open on all sides, which allowed the flames to intensify.
“The flames rose and damaged the upper floors,” the official said, adding that the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Kamal Gahtori, personal assistant to Uttarakhand MP Naresh Bansal, said he was in the office when the incident occurred. “All our belongings, documents, jewellery, clothes, and essentials have been completely destroyed. The only thing left are the clothes on our bodies. We have to start from zero now,” he said.
Purnima, an eyewitness, alleged that the fire brigades took considerable time to arrive. “The fire brigades reached late, even though the area is well maintained with wide roads. This area is meant for MPs, and such incidents should not occur here,” she told The Hindu.
She said a major portion of the lower floors has been completely burnt.
“We request Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to visit the area and review the building’s safety. The staff members should be given proper accommodation until the building is restored,” she said.
The apartment was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2020. There was no response from the Central Public Works Department, which maintains the building.
(With PTI inputs)
Published – October 19, 2025 01:46 am IST
