'Shocked, Distressed': PM Modi, CM Kejriwal, Prez Kovind React to Mundka Fire

PM Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the incident, while CM Arvind Kejriwal said he was "shocked and pained."

Fire near West Delhi's Mundka metro station.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

A building near the Mundka metro station in West Delhi caught on fire on Friday, 13 May, killing at least 27 people. The Delhi Police, the fire department, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are carrying out rescue exercises and have rescued 50 people so far.

The police have arrested two people, Harish Goel and Varun Goel, who are the owners of the company whose shop caught fire and are attempting to arrest the building's owner Manish Lakra, who is absconding.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced via Twitter that the kin of those who lost their lives to the fire will receive Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF), while those injured will receive Rs 50,000.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed that he was "shocked and pained" to learn about the tragedy, adding that he was constantly in touch with officers on site. After reaching the site with Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Kejriwal announced an ex gratia compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the kin of the deceased, and Rs 50,000 to each of the injured.

Kejriwal said that he had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the tragic fire, adding that a help desk had been set up, which was working to contact relatives of the victims.

Meanwhile, President Ram Nath Kovind noted his distress over the "tragic fire accident" in a tweet, wishing for a speedy recovery for the injured.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was "Extremely shocked and saddened by the sudden news of loss of a huge number of lives due to a tragic fire incident in Delhi today," and offered heartfelt condolences to the kin of the victims.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also expressed his grief over the incident, saying he was "pained by the tragic loss of lives in the Delhi fire near Mundka Metro station. Heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wishing the injured a speedy recovery."

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called the fire "extremely horrific" and prayed for the quick recovery for those injured in the tragedy, while Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman expressed her "grief and condolences to all bereaved families."

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh offered his condolences and prayers to the families of the deceased.

Union Ministers S Jaishankar, Jyotiraditya Scindia, and Hardeep Singh Puri also expressed their sadness regarding the loss of lives in the tragic fire on Twitter, wishing "speedy recovery" of the injured.

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin said he was "extremely pained by the tragic loss of so many lives in Delhi Fire accident." He extended his "heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims," and wished for a quick recovery for the injured, while Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot said, "My heart goes out to the bereaved families. May God give them strength to bear this loss."

Former Chief Ministers of Punjab and Puducherry Captain Amarinder Singh and V Narayanaswamy respectively, also condoled the deaths and the tragedy.

As on Saturday morning, the authorities have declared that as many as 27 people were killed in the tragedy and that the "death toll may likely go up." The injured were rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Mangolpuri, where a help desk was set up to assist the kin of the injured and missing. Dr Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini also took in victims of the tragedy.