Delhi Dwarka fire tragedy: Man saves wife, son and infant, dies after jumping with daughter and nephew from 9th floor
Delhi Dwarka fire tragedy: A devastating fire broke out on Tuesday at a ninth-floor flat in Shabad Apartment, located in Dwarka Sector 13, New Delhi. In a desperate attempt to escape the flames, a man jumped from the balcony with two children—his daughter and nephew. The man died on the spot, while the children succumbed to injuries later in the hospital.
The victims were identified as Yash Yadav (35), his 12-year-old daughter Ashima, and 10-year-old nephew Shivam. According to eyewitnesses, Yash had initially managed to exit the flat safely. Upon realising that his wife Mamta (33), elder son Aditya (18), daughter, nephew, and his wife’s sister’s six-month-old baby were still trapped inside, he heroically rushed back in.
Navigating through thick smoke and growing flames, Yash located his family and helped Mamta, Aditya, and the infant reach the balcony of a lower-floor flat. However, the fire spread rapidly, leaving no safe path for escape for the remaining two children. As the flames engulfed the balcony, Yash jumped with Ashima and Shivam in a final attempt to save them. Tragically, all three lost their lives.
Yash Yadav hailed from Shahbazpur village in Etah district, Uttar Pradesh. He moved to Delhi with his family in 1996 and worked in flex printing, room designing, and advertising. Yash owned two adjoining flats on the ninth and tenth floors of Shabad Apartment, connected via an internal staircase.
The tragedy occurred on the day a religious feast (bhandara) was being held at Yash’s sister’s home in Delhi after a spiritual recital (katha). Several relatives were staying at Yash’s residence due to the event. According to sources, Yash spent over an hour trying to get help from fire services and managed to evacuate several relatives before getting trapped himself with the children.
Local residents expressed anger over the delayed response by the fire brigade. They claimed that due to the fire starting at a considerable height, specialised ladder trucks were required. However, by the time the equipment arrived and water was sprayed on the flames, it was already too late.
- With inputs from agencies
