New Delhi: A massive fire broke out on Saturday afternoon at Brahmaputra Apartments , a residential complex housing several Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, located opposite Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital . The Delhi Fire Services received the call around 1:22 pm and rushed fourteen fire tenders to the spot. The blaze was brought under control by 2:10 pm.

The fire reportedly started when couches left on the stilt floor caught fire, allegedly due to bursting firecrackers. Thick black smoke was seen billowing from the building, causing panic among residents. While no official casualties have been reported, residents claimed that a few children were injured and taken to RML Hospital.

The building, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2020, houses MPs from the lower floors upward, with staff quarters occupying the lower three floors. Several residents reported losing all belongings, including documents, jewellery, and clothes, and expressed urgent requests for government assistance and temporary accommodation.

A Delhi Fire Services official cited that the fire began among household storage items on the stilt floor and caused damage primarily on the lower floors, with upper floors sustaining mostly external damage. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Delhi Police. Some eyewitnesses noted that the fire hydrant in the apartment complex was not functioning, and there were water shortages in pipelines and tanks, raising concerns about fire safety preparedness.

Authorities continue their investigation while residents and officials await further updates on the situation and relief measures.

With inputs from PTI