Fire at coaching institute in Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar, students climb down building using ropes

Students of a coaching institute in northwest Delhis Mukherjee Nagar area on Thursday smashed windows, climbed down ropes and took the help of ladders in desperate attempts to escape a fire that broke out on the top floor of the building housing it.A call about the fire was received at 12.27 pm and 11 fire tenders were pressed into service, said Delhi Fire Service Director Atul Garg.

Students of a coaching institute in northwest Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar area on Thursday smashed windows, climbed down ropes and took the help of ladders in desperate attempts to escape a fire that broke out on the top floor of the building housing it.

A call about the fire was received at 12.27 pm and 11 fire tenders were pressed into service, said Delhi Fire Service Director Atul Garg. Garg told PTI that 10-12 students suffered minor injuries while climbing down the building using ropes. ''There is no major causality. All students have been rescued. All are safe,'' he said. The preliminary inquiry suggested that the fire started from the metre board installed on the fourth floor of the building. The building comprises ground plus four floors, officials said. In a video shared by the fire department, its personnel could be seen rescuing people, mostly students, through the windows.

The panic-stricken students were seen climbing down from the top floor of the building with the help of ropes. Smoke can also be seen coming out of that floor. Ropes on the other side of the building were also used by the students to come out of the premises. Some of them were seen throwing down their bags and helping one another.

A large crowd gathered on the ground floor with many of them recording the incident on their mobile phones.

''The firefighting operation is over. No major injuries have been reported so far,'' Garg said. A senior doctor at the Hindu Rao Hospital where several students were brought said they were discharged after first aid. Describing the incident as ''very unfortunate'', Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, ''Some students have suffered minor injuries while trying to escape, rest are safe. There is nothing to panic about. The fire has been brought under control by the fire department. The district administration is also present at the spot''.

Delhi Police spokesperson Suman Nalwa said the fire started from the electric meters of the building and the smoke spread to other floors.

''A coaching centre was operating on an upper floor of the building. Smoke coming out of the building created panic. Students tried to rush out of the building through the windows and some of them suffered injuries. They were taken to hospital and the fire has been brought under control,'' she said.

Garg, in a tweet, said, ''Fire fighting operation is over. The fire started from an electric metre, the blaze was small but there was a lot of smoke. Because of that student got panicked. But once our team reached the spot, all were rescued.'' Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, in a statement, said the reason for the fire was ''currently unknown''.

''According to on-ground team inspection the smoke triggered in the air conditioning unit on the fourth floor and not around the electricity meters. However police have barricaded the area, and further investigation is underway,'' it said. Mukherjee Nagar is a coaching hub for government job aspirants.