Keshav Puram fire: Three rescued from Delhi building after meter panel blaze
Synopsis
A pre-dawn electrical fire in a Keshav Puram residential building trapped three people on the terrace — the Delhi Fire Services contained it in under 30 minutes. Coming days after a Make-4 category blaze near Udyog Bhawan, the incident highlights faulty electrical infrastructure as a persistent and underaddressed fire risk across Delhi.
Key Takeaways
A fire broke out in 24 electric meters on the ground floor of a building at B-4/180, Lawrence Road, Keshav Puram , northwest Delhi, at 2:03 am on 29 June .
Gaurav (28) , Kaira (25) , and Indu Batra (55) were rescued from the building's terrace by the Delhi Fire Services .
The fire was brought under control by 2:30 am — within 27 minutes — with no casualties reported.
Resources deployed included two water tenders , two water bowsers , one QRV , and a Bronto Skylift .
The incident follows a Make-4 category fire earlier in the week at a labour settlement near Udyog Bhawan , also triggered by an electric panel fault.
A fire that broke out in an electric meter panel of a residential building in Keshav Puram, northwest Delhi, in the early hours of Monday, 29 June prompted a swift response from the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), which rescued three people stranded on the building's terrace. There were no casualties in the incident.
How the Fire Unfolded
The DFS fire control room received the first distress calls at 2:03 am, reporting a blaze in the electrical wiring at B-4/180, Lawrence Road, near Lal Shahi Mandir, under the jurisdiction of Keshav Puram. The fire was traced to 24 electric meters installed on the ground floor of the five-storey building — comprising a ground floor and four upper floors.
Within minutes, the DFS dispatched two water tenders, two water bowsers, and one Quick Response Vehicle (QRV) under the supervision of Station Officer Rajender. By 2:10 am, following additional distress calls, a Bronto Skylift and Assistant Divisional Officer R.K. Yadav were also rushed to the site.
Residents Rescued from Terrace
The DFS team rescued Gaurav (28), Kaira (25), and Indu Batra (55), who had been stranded on the building's terrace as the fire raged below. All three were brought to safety without injury. Station Officer Rajender issued a 'Stop' message — confirming the fire was fully under control — at 2:30 am, just 27 minutes after the first call was received.
Context: A Week of Fire Incidents in Delhi
The Keshav Puram incident follows a more serious fire earlier in the week. On Wednesday, a major blaze engulfed a labour settlement near Udyog Bhawan in central Delhi, where workers associated with the Central Vista redevelopment project were residing. That fire spread rapidly through the settlement, with explosions in commercial and small LPG cylinders intensifying the blaze and accelerating its spread.
The DFS escalated the Udyog Bhawan incident to a Make-4 category fire — one of its highest alert levels — deploying multiple firefighting units including water tenders and fire bikes. The origin of that fire was also traced to an electric panel near the Labour Jhuggi area at Udyog Bhawan.
What the Pattern Suggests
Both incidents point to electrical infrastructure as a recurring fire hazard in Delhi's residential and temporary settlements. Faulty or overloaded electric meter panels and wiring have been flagged repeatedly by fire safety officials as among the most common triggers for urban building fires, particularly in older structures and informal settlements. The DFS response in Keshav Puram — containment within 27 minutes — underscores the value of rapid deployment, but the back-to-back incidents will likely renew calls for stricter electrical safety audits across Delhi's residential zones.
Point of View
One in a workers' settlement — are not a coincidence; they are a pattern. Faulty meter panels and overloaded wiring are well-documented hazards in Delhi's older housing stock and informal settlements, yet systematic electrical audits remain rare and enforcement inconsistent. The DFS deserves credit for its rapid response in Keshav Puram, but speed of containment should not substitute for prevention. With the Central Vista labour settlement fire escalating to Make-4, the question Delhi's civic authorities must answer is not just how fast they can fight fires — but why they keep starting.
NationPress
29 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the fire in Keshav Puram, Delhi?
The fire was caused by a fault in the electric meter panel on the ground floor of a residential building at B-4/180, Lawrence Road, Keshav Puram. A total of 24 electric meters were affected. The Delhi Fire Services confirmed there were no casualties.
Who was rescued from the Keshav Puram building fire?
Three residents — Gaurav (28), Kaira (25), and Indu Batra (55) — were rescued from the building's terrace, where they had been stranded as the fire burned below. All three were brought to safety without injury.
How quickly did Delhi Fire Services respond?
The DFS received the first call at 2:03 am and issued a 'Stop' message confirming the fire was under control at 2:30 am — a response and containment time of approximately 27 minutes. A Bronto Skylift was also deployed after additional distress calls at 2:10 am.
Is this connected to the Udyog Bhawan fire earlier in the week?
The two incidents are separate but share a common trigger: faulty electrical panels. The Udyog Bhawan fire, which broke out at a labour settlement near the Central Vista project site, was escalated to a Make-4 category and intensified by LPG cylinder explosions. Both fires point to electrical infrastructure failure as a recurring hazard in Delhi.
What is a Make-4 category fire in Delhi?
Make-4 is one of the highest emergency classifications used by the Delhi Fire Services, indicating a large-scale fire requiring deployment of multiple heavy firefighting units. It was applied to the Udyog Bhawan blaze earlier in the week due to the intensity and rapid spread of the fire through the labour settlement.
