New Delhi [India], March 18 (ANI): The Delhi government on Wednesday announced compensation for victims of the Palam fire incident.

According to the CMO, a compensation of 10 lakh will be provided to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident, while 5 lakh will be given in case of deceased children.

Additionally, 2 lakh compensation will be provided to those who sustained serious injuries in the fire.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased in the Palam residential building fire.

Expressing his deepest condolences on the unfortunate incident, the PM announced Rs 50,000 ex-gratia to the injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.

'The fire incident in Palam, Delhi, is saddening. I extend my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover at the earliest. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000,' the PMO wrote on X.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi expressed condolences on the incident and hopes for the recovery of the injured. She requested the Congress members to extend help to the victims.

'The news of the deaths of several people due to a fire in Palam, Delhi, is extremely heartbreaking. May God grant peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured. I appeal to the leaders and workers of the Congress Party to help the victims as much as possible,' she said.

The fire broke out in a residential building in the Sadh Nagar area of Palam, allegedly due to a short circuit in the wee hours of Wednesday. Delhi Fire Services, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police and other agencies are engaged in relief work.

The death toll in the fire has risen to nine, while three people have been reported injured so far, according to fire officers.

Eight of the deceased, namely Pravesh (33), Kamal (39), Ashu (35), Lado (70), Himanshi (22) and three minor girls aged 15, 6, and 3 years, were declared dead in Manipal Hospital.

Meanwhile, one female, Deepika (28), was declared brought dead in IGI hospital, where two people, Anil (32) and a girl (2) are undergoing treatment.

Another man named Sachin (29) is admitted to Safdarjung Hospital with approx. 25% burn injuries.

Speaking to ANI, National Disaster Relief Force Deputy Inspector Vicky Ranga said that the rescue operation is challenging as the blaze has damaged the building from the inside.

'We arrived at the spot within 10 minutes, and Delhi fire service and other agencies were trying to extinguish the fire... We removed two dead bodies from there. The building is damaged from the inside... and doing a rescue operation in such a building is a big challenge... Nearby buildings have been evacuated,' he said. (ANI)