'System failed us': Man who lost 9 family members in Delhi inferno

A Delhi father is blaming systemic negligence after a devastating fire in Palam claimed nine lives, highlighting concerns about emergency response and building safety regulations.

IMAGE: A massive fire broke out at a residential building in the Palam area, in New Delhi on March 18, 2026. Photograph: Sumi/ANI PhotoKey PointsNine family members died in a devastating fire in southwest Delhis Palam area.

The bereaved father alleges systemic negligence and delayed emergency response contributed to the fatalities.

Eyewitnesses claim the initial hydraulic crane malfunctioned, causing critical delays in rescue operations.

Residents suspect a short circuit as a possible cause of the fire, but the exact cause is under investigation.

A magisterial inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the fire and potential lapses in the emergency response.

Rajender Kashyap, who lost nine members of his family in the blaze, entered the gutted structure near Ram Chowk Market along with police and forensic science laboratory teams as part of the ongoing investigation.

Overcome with grief after stepping out, he broke down and blamed the authorities. This is the systems failure. Had there been a timely response, my family would have been alive, Kashyap claimed.

The four-storey building, located in a congested lane near Palam Metro Station, housed a cloth and cosmetics business in the basement, ground and first floors, while the family lived on the upper levels.

The fire broke out around 6.15 am on Wednesday, spreading rapidly through the structure and killing nine people, including a 70-year-old woman and three young girls, one of whom was just three years old. Three others were injured while attempting to escape.

Eyewitnesses had earlier alleged delays in rescue operations, claiming that the first hydraulic crane deployed at the spot malfunctioned and that a second crane took nearly an hour to arrive, costing crucial time.

Community Response and ConcernsOn Thursday, neighbours gathered outside the building for a condolence meeting, as questions arose regarding the cause of the fire and the effectiveness of the emergency services.

Some residents suspected a short circuit, pointing to an electrical board near the staircase on the ground floor as a possible origin of the blaze, though the exact cause is yet to be ascertained.

The response was very late. If help had arrived on time, things could have been different, a neighbour said, standing beside the bereaved father.

Another local alleged that at least four to five lives could have been saved with quicker intervention. The first fire tenders hydraulic system did not work. That delay proved fatal, he claimed.

The building now stands blackened and hollowed out, with its interiors completely gutted, as the neighbourhood struggles to come to terms with the scale of the tragedy.

Investigation UnderwayA case has been registered and a magisterial inquiry ordered into the incident, while further investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the fire and any lapses in response.