New Delhi, 18 March (H.S.): Arvind Kejriwal, national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and former Chief Minister of Delhi, has expressed deep concern over the deadly fire incident in Palam, calling the blaze “heart‑breaking” and demanding concrete and immediate action from the government to prevent such tragedies in the national capital.

In a post on the social‑media platform X on Wednesday, Kejriwal said the fire in a multi‑storey building near Palam Metro Station was “extremely tragic” and offered his heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families. “I pray that the departed souls may find peace,” he added, linking the disaster to broader worries about fire‑safety gaps in Delhi’s dense urban fabric.

Fault‑line issues in Delhi’s fire‑safety system

Kejriwal flagged narrow lanes, tightly packed multi‑storey structures and inadequate safety arrangements as key factors that heighten the risk of similar incidents. He urged the authorities to take serious, time‑bound measures, including stricter enforcement of fire‑safety norms, better access for emergency services, and tougher scrutiny of mixed‑use buildings that stack commercial shops and residences in the same block.

At least nine people—including three children and a 70‑year‑old woman—died after the fire tore through the building, which housed a garment and cosmetics showroom on the lower floors and a family residence above. Several others were injured, some after jumping or being thrown from upper levels in a desperate bid to escape.

Political and administrative echoes

The Palam fire has reignited long‑running debates over fire‑safety regulation, enforcement lapses and land‑use planning in Delhi’s crowded suburbs. Kejriwal’s statement echoes earlier political interventions he has made after major urban blazes, where he has typically pressed for inquires, accountability, and compensation to the bereaved.

With the current Delhi administration already under pressure to order probes and tighten safety protocols around such structures, Kejriwal’s remarks are likely to amplify demands for a comprehensive review of fire‑risk hotspots and the frameworks that are supposed to safeguard them. For him, the Palam fire is not just a one‑off disaster, but a warning that the capital remains vulnerable unless authorities move beyond reactive rhetoric to preventive governance.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar