Delhi Palam fire likely caused by short circuit, inquiry finds

A magisterial inquiry found the Palam building fire most likely started near the MCB box. It said safety violations and rescue failures turned the blaze into a nine-death tragedy.A magisterial inquiry found the Palam building fire most likely started near the MCB box. A magisterial inquiry into the March fire at a residential building in Delhi that killed nine people has found that the blaze most likely began because of an electrical short circuit near the building's main circuit breaker (MCB) box. The report, submitted to the Delhi government, said the exact cause could not be established conclusively because the electrical installation was completely destroyed.The inquiry, conducted by the South-West district magistrate, said the high death toll was caused by a combination of building deficiencies, violations of safety norms and shortcomings in the emergency response, rather than any one factor. It also pointed to unauthorised commercial use inside the building and problems during the rescue operation.According to the report, the fire is believed to have started near the MCB box between the ground and first floors, where wiring for six electricity connections came together. The flames then spread quickly through combustible commercial stock stored inside the building, while thick smoke filled the upper floors and trapped residents. The inquiry found that only the basement and ground floor were licensed for commercial use, but commercial activity and storage were also being carried out on the first floor in violation of Mixed Land Use norms. Investigators recovered remnants of bangles, innerwear and office records of a market association from the first floor, indicating unauthorised commercial use.The report also examined the rescue operation and said unauthorised overhead telecom cables and banners delayed the deployment of the Delhi Fire Services' Bronto Skylift, with its boom getting entangled during rescue efforts. It further said a technical glitch made the aerial platform inoperable, leaving residents trapped on the third-floor balcony beyond reach. A second skylift reached later, but by then all nine victims had died. The inquiry held the Municipal Corporation of Delhi responsible for failing to enforce licence conditions and remove aerial obstructions. It recommended disciplinary action against the licensing inspector concerned for allowing commercial activity beyond the permitted floors. Among its recommendations, the report called for an independent technical investigation into the Bronto Skylift malfunction, periodic certification and training of fire service operators, regulation of overhead telecom and cable infrastructure, stricter enforcement of building-use norms, retrofitting of buildings that lack adequate ventilation or escape routes wherever feasible, and stronger fire services.In sum, the inquiry said the Palam fire was most likely triggered by an electrical short circuit, but the scale of the tragedy was worsened by safety violations in the building and failures during the emergency response. - EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Jul 30, 2026 23:53 IST