New Delhi. June 15, place – Mukherjee Nagar, 12 km away from Parliament, Time – 12.27 minutes. Suddenly the people around heard the shouting of the students from the windows of the Gyan Building in Mukherjee Nagar. Locals got goosebumps when saw hundreds of children of only 20-22 years of age crying out in front of me to save their lives. Suffocating smoke was coming out of the windows. Dramatic visuals showed students smashing windows, climbing down ropes, and taking the help of ladders in desperate attempts to escape the building after a fire broke out at the Sanskriti coaching center. Soon after the fire, those stuck inside the institute were seen trying to escape using wires. Children jumped from about 50 feet and more than 100 students were injured. More than 10 employees and students were seriously burnt and it is not possible to tell in correct figures how many had broken hands and feet. After such a big accident, the police registered an FIR against the culprits under such light sections that they got bail within a few hours. That’s why I trust people more than the numbers written on the paper of the administration. Many girls and boys who were seriously scorched were admitted to Hindurao, Babu Jagjivan Ram, Trauma Center, and New Life by the local people. At that time more than 350 students were studying in the class running on the fifth floor of Sanskriti Coaching Center. There are many offices and many coaching centers including Sanskriti Coaching Center.
Instead of praising the person who saved more than 10 lives, the coach scolded him
Bhai bacha lo.. coaching mein aag lag gayi hai.. sans lene mein paresani ho rahi hai (Brother save me, there is a fire in the coaching center. I’m stuck. There is difficulty in breathing.) As soon as Sumit, who had come to study from Shamli in UP, got a call from his friend, he ran away. Sumit risked his life and saved more than 10 students including his friend. He went to the terrace from another building and broke the lock of the door. And saved more than 10 students one by one, and during this, he also suffered serious injuries. He fainted as soon as he reached down. Sumit, who came to prepare for SSC three months back, told that he sleeps at night by injecting pain and then he falls asleep. When the money received from home was spent, hesitatingly went to Sanskriti Coaching Center. There he was told that he has served humanity, what money will he take in return? Think how cruel that person would be who, instead of praising the person who saved the students of his coaching center, gave such insults. The coaching person said you are a student of Bharti Koching, why should we get treated.
Seriously scorched Pooja Aggarwal, who works in Rajeev Shukla Associates, told that as soon as she tried to escape on the terrace. The roof gate was locked. As soon as she came down in the huge crowd and chaos, the gate was engulfed in flames. There is no arrangement for fire fighting anywhere in the building. The building is also in dilapidated condition.
There is only one way to come and go in less than 2 feet of space. Which thousands of students have to use. Now a fire broke out in this two-feet way, due to the smoke in the class, and the breath of the students started stopping. AC broke. The soul will tremble thinking that hundreds of students are saved only by the blessings of God. But due to the connivance of the government, administration, and mainstream media, more than 50 thousand students are forced to go to this kind of death well every day.
Thanks to HC
Meanwhile, taking “suo motu notice” of the incident based on a newspaper report and Whatsapp messages circulating on social media, Delhi High Court in its June 16 order observed that Delhi Fire Services is required to carry out a “Fire Audit” in such buildings.
The bench thereafter issued notice to the Delhi government, the DFS, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and Delhi Police, remarking that the DFS is “required to do a Fire Audit in such buildings to ensure that there are adequate fire safety measures as hundreds of students visit these institutes for specialized coaching”.
“The Delhi Fire Services shall also see whether these institutes have Fire Safety Certificates,” the HC added.
Legal Fault:
- Commercial buildings are illegally used for running coaching Classrooms without any permission. (No NOC acquired)
- No fire safety audit by the fire department in years.
- No NOC from the fire department and no system of fire fighting arrangements.
- No safety evacuation plan or measures by coaching centers.
- Illegal hoardings/boards/banners/ Acs installed by blocking windows and vents.
- Evacuation from the roof was blocked because of a locked gate. No water in rooftop water tanks.
- Various coaching classrooms are running in the basements in the nearby areas which is illegal.
- Police have booked two coaching center owners for mere negligence.
- No proper medical/financial assistance to injured students.
