Multi-storey building fire in Delhi’s Rithala leaves 4 people dead

Jun 25, 2025 09:59 AM IST

A fire broke out at a multi-storey building in northwest Delhi’s Rithala on Tuesday, leaving four people dead and three others injured. Police said they were taking legal action and probing the cause of the fire.

The fire started around 7.30pm at Rana Complex in Budh Vihar, a four-storey structure used for manufacturing plastic and readymade bags. Police said the fire originated from the lower floors and quickly spread upwards, trapping several workers inside.

Sixteen fire tenders were pressed into service. “We found heavy smoke and flames coming from the first and second floors. Fire and rescue operations began immediately,” said a fire official.

The ground and first floors housed a bag manufacturing unit. Nitin Bansal, 31, son of the building owner, Suresh Bansal, ran it. A tenant named Anand used the second floor for fabric work. The top two floors served as a godown for disposable goods, rented out to one Rakesh Arora.

Three people, including Nitin Bansal and a 30-year-old worker named Rakesh, were rescued and taken to a hospital. The two suffered 80% burn injuries. Another worker, Virender, 25, sustained minor burns.

Around 1.15am on Wednesday, fire personnel recovered four charred bodies from the first floor. The victims remain unidentified due to the severity of the burns, police said. Thick smoke hampered the search operations, and a thorough sweep of the building was pending.