In a completely unrelated chain of rather unfortunate events, over a 100 fire-related incidents were reported in the capital in the last 24 hours, with 122 fire calls received on fire department number 102 on Thursday itself.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the fires broke out due to rising temperature and extreme dryness, made worse by swirling winds.
Out of the 105 incidents, two were of medium intensity, while 103 were minor cases.
One person is also reported to have been killed.
One man was killed in a fire in North Delhi. In another incident, four horses were charred to death when they could not run after a fire broke out in a dense slum cluster in Southeast Delhi’s Madanpur Khadar on Wednesdaynight.
Chief fire service officer A K Sharma said the number of fire incidents is likely to increase in the coming days.
“A total of 105 fire incidents were reported in Delhi on Thursday between 12.45 am and 8 pm,†he said.
There are about 265 fire tenders available with the Fire Department.
According to officials at the Weather department, Delhi reeled under severe hot and dry conditions on Thursday.
Maximum temperature settled at 43.7 degree Celsius, the highest this season so far.
“On Thursday at 6 am, they recorded the temperature at 30 degree C which sharply increased to 41 degree C by 2 pm. At 4 pm, a high of over 43 degree Celsius was recorded,†officials said.
Police suspect the fire was caused by a short circuit.
In another incident, a 62-year-old man died after his third-floor apartment caught fire in North Delhi’s Civil Lines area.
“The incident was reported around 1.50 am. After some residents informed the Fire Department about the incident, four fire tenders were rushed to the spot. They took half an hour to douse the flames.
The charred body of one Narendra Singh Rawat was recovered from the spot.
He lived alone and worked as a servant in the three-storey house, the officer added.
Police said they suspect the blaze may have been triggered by a lit cigarette butt as the deceased was a smoker.