Grief and discontent simmered in Vivek Vihar lanes on Monday as survivors and family members of those killed in the devastating blaze alleged lapses in the emergency response, claiming delay in arrival of fire tenders, low water pressure, and ineffective use of equipment hindered rescue efforts even as those trapped inside were still alive and calling for help.
"Anchal's last call to her father came around 4.30 am; that means they were still alive then," said Sonali Jain, who lost five members of her family.
A blaze tore through a four-storey residential building in east Delhi's Vivek Vihar area early Sunday, killing nine persons from two families.
Among those killed were Sonali's father-in-law Arvind Jain (60), his wife Anita Jain (58), their son Nishant Jain (35), his wife Anchal (33), and their toddler, Akaay.
Recalling the frantic moments as they waited for rescue to arrive, survivors and locals said the victims were alive well after the fire intensified.
Kamal Goel, who lives on the upper ground floor at the rear side, said the fire started on the floor above his.
"The fire brigade came at least 20 minutes after the call was made, and even after arriving, it took them nearly 30 minutes to set up their equipment. The water pressure was very low, hoses were leaking," he alleged.
He said in less than an hour, the fire had engulfed the upper floors.
He also recalled speaking to Nishant Jain as the fire spread.
"He kept asking if the fire brigade had arrived. I told him they had, but he said the fire had spread too much. I asked him to go towards the rear grille for ventilation, but they couldn't reach there. After that, his phone lost connection," Goel said.
Other residents also claimed the victims were left stranded for a long time -- with the blaze inching ever closer.
They alleged that equipment such as metal cutters did not work initially due to the electricity supply being cut off.
However, the Delhi Fire Service rejected these these allegations, saying there was no delay or equipment failure during the operation.
"No such issue came to our knowledge. We had dispatched vehicles from multiple stations -- Shahdara, Tahirpur, Gokulpuri and Laxmi Nagar -- and they reached one by one depending on distance. The first vehicle reached within five to six minutes," Fire Officer Mukesh Verma said.
He further said there was no shortage of water or pressure failure.
"Our cutters are battery-operated and were working," Verma said, adding that around 14 cutters were deployed and 15 people were rescued.
Verma said the intensity of the fire made immediate entry difficult and many victims succumbed to smoke inhalation.
Meanwhile, residents said victims were unable to escape despite repeated attempts.
"There were no electronic locks in our house. The doors were made out of wood, but they were jammed because of the heat. The cutters did not come in time, and the door could not be broken," Sonali said.
Survivors recalled a long, harrowing wait for rescue.
Sudhir Kumar Mittal, in his 60s, who lives on the top-floor front-side apartment in the building, said his family spent nearly an hour stranded on the balcony.
"Five of us -- me, my wife, my grandson, daughter and daughter-in-law -- were waiting for nearly an hour on the balcony. Later, one crane came but I couldn't climb due to my health condition. Later, the trolley came again and my family was rescued," he said.
He said the heat was so intense that seven ACs around his apartment melted, and the entire drawing room was damaged.
The building had eight flats measuring 330 square yard each -- four on the front and four on the rear side -- with a single staircase serving as the only escape route.
At the back, thick grills and enclosed balconies, installed for security and to keep pigeons away, made evacuation difficult. The narrow rear lane, lined with overhead wires and adjoining structures, further hindered access.
Eyewitnesses said the fire appeared to have started on the second floor at the rear, possibly due to a blast in an air conditioner, before rapidly spreading upwards.
The incident has left residents shaken, with many now unsure if they want to continue living there.
"We will decide what to do next. Repairs will cost crores and getting NOCs from everyone will take time," Goel said.
Another resident said the trauma runs deeper than the damage. The screams from that night are still echoing in my ears, he said.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.