43 killed after massive fire breaks out in a luggage factory in Delhi, CM Kejriwal announces compensation

43 people were killed after a fire broke out in a house in Anaj Mandi on Rani Jhansi Road on Sunday morning, a Delhi Fire Service official said.

NDRF teams are heading inside the building to check if any more people are trapped.

Delhi govt to give ₹10 lakh ex-gratia to families of those killed in fire incident; ₹1 lakh to injured, said CM Arvind Kejriwal

Most of the people who died were labourers who were sleeping at the factory in Anaj Mandi on Rani Jhansi Road when the fire broke out at 5 am.

The cause of the fire is not known, officials said. Thirty fire trucks are at the site and have taken the situation under control.

A total of 59 people were inside the factory operating from a residential area when the blaze broke out, they said.

Chaotic scenes were witnessed at the site of the fire incident with relatives and locals rushing to the area.

Distraught relatives tried to locate their family members at various hospitals where the injured and dead were taken.

Manoj (23), a resident of Begusarai in Bihar, said his brother Naveen (18) was working in a handbag manufacturing unit operating from the premises.

"I got a call from his friend informing that he has been injured in the incident. I have no clue which hospital he has been taken to," he said.

According to an unidentified elderly man whose three nephews were working in the factory, "At least 12-15 machines were installed in the unit. I have no idea about the factory owner.

"My nephews Mohammed Imran and Ikramuddin were inside the factory. I don't know their whereabouts," the man said.

According to him, many units were operating from the premises which was located in a congested area.

Many people trapped inside were rescued and rushed to RML Hospital, LNJP and Hindu Rao Hospital, fire officials said.

Thirty-four people were brought dead to LNJP hospital and smoke inhalation was the primary cause of the death. Some of the bodies were charred, Dr Kishore Singh, Medical Superintendent, LNJP, said.

A call about the fire was received at 5:22 AM following which 30 fire tenders were rushed to the spot.

The traffic police have asked people not to use Rani Jhansi flyover near New Delhi railway station as the road has been closed due to the incident.

PM Narendra Modi says fire in Delhi's Anaj Mandi area is extremely horrific

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday described the fire incident in Delhi's Anaj Mandi area as "tragic" and said firemen were doing their best.

A massive fire broke out in a factory operating from a residential area in Anaj Mandi area here, leaving 35 people dead.

"V v tragic news. Rescue operations going on. Firemen doing their best. Injured are being taken to hospitals," the chief minister said in a tweet.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed his deepest condolences to the families of those killed in a massive fire at a factory here and said he was saddened by the tragic incident.

Saddened at the news that a massive fire in the Anaj Mandi area of Delhi has claimed many lives and left several people injured, Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

"I extend my deepest condolences to the families of those killed and wish for the speedy recovery of those injured," he said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “Have instructed concerned authorities to provide all possible assistance on urgent basis.”

“It is a tragic incident. Investigation will be conducted and action will be taken against whoever is responsible for it,” said Delhi Minister Imran Hussain