Delhi Fire Probe Finds Skylift Failure, Cables and Agency Lapses Led to 9 Deaths
A magisterial inquiry into the March 18 fire in southwest Delhi's Palam area has found multiple lapses by city agencies that contributed to the deaths of nine members of a family, including three children. The report, prepared by the South-West District Magistrate, examined the cause of the fire, violations of law, departmental failures, and the applicability of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
The fire broke out in a four-storey residential-cum-commercial building near Palam Metro Station. According to the inquiry's reconstruction, it likely began around 6 am due to an electrical short circuit near an MCB box between the ground and first-floor staircase. However, the report said the cause could not be conclusively established because the electrical installation had been extensively damaged and the forensic report was still awaited.
The first person noticed the flames at approximately 6.15 am. A man named Sachin escaped through the roof of an adjoining building with burn injuries. Police and fire tenders arrived at 7.11 am, and the initial deployment included four water tenders, one quick-response vehicle, one motor pump, one Bronto Skylift aerial platform, and one water bowser.
As the fire intensified, the response was upgraded from Make-4 to Make-6 at 7.20 am. At around 7.40 am, the Bronto Skylift, designated BS-III, reached the narrow lane and took position outside the building. Residents were visible on the third-floor balcony. During the rescue operation, a child identified as Baby Mitali fell from the building and was evacuated with injuries.
The Skylift's hydraulic boom, however, failed to rise. Firefighters, assisted by local residents, had to manually shift low-hanging cables and remove banners before the vehicle could be positioned, directly delaying the rescue. The report said the boom apparently suffered a technical glitch, most likely compounded by becoming entangled in overhead cables, wires, and banners.
With the Skylift out of action, rescuers had no immediate way to reach the balcony. The manual ladder at the scene was not tall enough, and no effective alternative tall-reach equipment was available as a second line of defence. A second Bronto Skylift was requested at 7.55 am, but by the time it arrived, all nine people trapped inside had died.
The inquiry identified lapses by several agencies, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Delhi Fire Services, and the Electrical Inspectorate. Maintenance records for February and March 2026 showed no previous fault in BS-III, and the vehicle had recently operated at an incident, according to the report.
Firefighters did manage to prevent the blaze from spreading to an adjoining handloom shop and the wider market. The fire was brought under control at 10.20 am and declared stopped at 2.20 pm. Delhi Fire Services ultimately deployed 31 firefighting units. Three other people were injured in the incident.
