Three people lost their lives after a devastating fire tore through a residential building in Delhi's Tughlakabad in the early hours of Friday, trapping residents inside and triggering a frantic rescue operation by firefighters.

The blaze broke out in a narrow lane near Naya Tara Apartment on Madhyam Marg, where emergency teams raced against time to evacuate those stranded inside the multi-storey structure. Several people sustained injuries, while at least six residents were rescued by personnel from the Delhi Fire Service (DFS).

According to officials, multiple distress calls reporting flames and trapped occupants began pouring in shortly after 2:35 am. Firefighters rushed to the scene and found a ground-plus-five-storey building engulfed in smoke, with access severely hampered by the congested lane leading to the property.

Preliminary findings indicate that the fire may have originated from vehicles parked within the premises. As thick smoke spread rapidly through the building, several occupants were left struggling to escape.

Emergency responders initially shifted a number of injured residents to the AIIMS Trauma Centre for treatment. The Delhi Fire Service later confirmed that six people rescued during the operation were transported to a nearby hospital with the assistance of the Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS).

To contain the blaze, the fire department deployed an extensive response team, including three water tenders, two water bowsers, a breathing support unit and a Quick Response Vehicle. Additional firefighting equipment was sent after repeated calls suggested more people remained trapped inside.

The operation was supervised by Assistant Divisional Officer Yashwant Singh Meena, along with Station Training Officer Mukul Bhardwaj and Station Officers Samarth Lal and Raj Kumar.

Officials said the fire was brought under control at around 3:45 am, less than an hour after the first emergency alerts were received. A formal "stop message" marking the completion of firefighting efforts was issued at approximately 4 am. Rescue teams, however, continued combing through the building to ensure no occupants had been left behind.

During the final phase of the operation, firefighters pulled out another resident from the structure, taking the total number of people rescued by DFS personnel to six.

Authorities are yet to determine the exact cause of the fire, and a detailed investigation is expected to establish whether any safety lapses contributed to the tragedy.

Further details are awaited.

With ANI inputs