Delhi struggles to escape grip of fatal fires

Delhi’s Struggle Amid Recent Fatal Fires

Delhi struggles to escape grip of fatal – Following the devastating Tughlakabad fire, relatives of the victims gathered at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on June 3, seeking updates on their loved ones. Among them was a group from Bangladesh, anxiously waiting to collect the body of a relative who lost their life in the blaze at a bed-and-breakfast in Hauz Rani.

Impact of the Blaze on Families

Delhi continued to grapple with the consequences of the fatal fire that claimed 23 lives, and a subsequent incident deepened the city’s sorrow as it mourned the deaths of three more residents. The emotional toll on families remained profound, with many expressing grief and frustration over the loss.

Sayeda Begum, the mother-in-law of Rahana Akhtar, 41, sat quietly in the mortuary’s corner, awaiting the completion of official procedures. Akhtar, who perished in the Hauz Rani fire, was a principal officer at Pubali Bank in Dhaka. Her husband, Mosharaf Hossain, 47, and her brother, Nurul Amin, 44, had traveled to India for Hossain’s kidney transplant. Zohra, Hossain’s cousin, and her daughter joined them as Zohra was the donor for the surgery.

“On June 10, we were told Rahana had succumbed to her injuries, prompting our arrival in Delhi the same day. She had been receiving treatment for seven days. She and Hossain had two children, aged 14 and 11, and she worked as a principal officer at Pubali Bank in Dhaka,” said Sayeda.

Hossain, who sustained injuries during the blaze, was still recovering in the hospital. His condition had improved, but he faced lingering effects from burns to his tongue and throat, altering his voice.

Sayeda, who resides in the US, had recently returned to Dhaka to care for her grandchildren. She was joined by her aunt, who wished to remain unnamed, as they navigated the process of recovering their lost belongings. The family’s possessions, including multiple phones, five luggage pieces, and significant cash and currency, were either destroyed or damaged in the fire.

“We must now visit the Malviya Nagar police station, but we don’t speak the language, making the process extremely challenging,” said the aunt.

Nurul Amin’s brother-in-law, Mohammed Robiul, 33, shared details with HT about the family’s arrival. “We arrived in Delhi on the night of June 2, staying at the airport overnight. We reached the hotel on June 3, the morning the fire broke out. Amin was in the ground-floor restaurant when the incident began and couldn’t escape in time,” he explained.