A probe into a fire that killed nine people in Delhi's Palam Vihar area has found serious lapses, including the absence of a backup plan and the failure of a skylift during rescue efforts.
The inquiry flagged illegal overhead cables that blocked rescuers and enforcement failures by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. It also identified unauthorised commercial use of the site, along with 853 vacancies in the Delhi Fire Services and gaps in equipment and technical training.
The probe raised concerns about fire safety and the unpreparedness of agencies to handle emergencies, pointing to a tangled trail of missteps and the fragile backbone of the city's civic systems.