New Delhi, March 19 (NationPress) Following a brief disruption at a condolence gathering, Virendra Sachdeva, the President of the Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stated on Thursday that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been attempting to exploit the tragedy of the recent fire incident in Palam for political gains. This comes after an altercation involving a BJP MLA who was present at the prayer meeting, during which AAP members blamed the fire department for their shortcomings.

Sachdeva expressed his disappointment that Arvind Kejriwal and AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj are targeting the fire department instead of addressing the critical issue of illegal storage of flammable materials. "During Thursday's condolence meeting, AAP leader Bhardwaj himself tried to disrupt the event by misbehaving and attacking BJP MLA Kuldeep Solanki," noted the Delhi BJP President.

He condemned the actions of the AAP leader and his followers for creating chaos at a moment of mourning, suggesting they are politicizing the tragic deaths.

The Delhi BJP President mentioned that a magistrate inquiry has been ordered, and the relevant minister in the Delhi government has initiated a crackdown on unauthorized storage of flammable materials, as it was noted that such materials were improperly stored in this incident.

It has been reported by media outlets, citing neighbors and eyewitnesses, that the lower floors of the building contained godowns and shops filled with large quantities of flammable goods.

"These materials ignited, and within moments, the fire spread throughout the entire structure. Many lives were lost before the fire department could respond," he stated.

"It’s regrettable that Kejriwal and Bhardwaj are attempting to divert focus from the essential matter of illegal storage of flammable materials by blaming the fire department," he added.

"This action is necessary, yet AAP leaders are making irrelevant remarks to undermine the investigation led by the concerned magistrate and local police," Sachdeva asserted.

Officials revealed that the fire broke out in a four-story building where the basement, ground floor, and first floor housed a cloth and cosmetic showroom, while the owner's family lived on the upper floors.

Emergency responders from the police and fire department rushed to the scene after receiving reports of the blaze around 7:04 a.m.

Rescue teams successfully evacuated numerous individuals from the building and transported the injured to nearby hospitals for medical care.

The BJP-led Delhi government has mandated a magisterial investigation to uncover the cause of the fire and the events leading to the fatalities.