A catastrophic fire ripped through a commercial building in north India’s Uttar Pradesh state early this morning, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens more. As local authorities scramble to contain the blaze and identify victims, Whitehall has confirmed that a team of British fire investigators will fly out to assist the inquiry. Sources close to the Home Office say the move follows a direct request from New Delhi and reflects the close ties between the two countries on disaster response.
The fire broke out around 2 a.m. local time in a multi-storey building in Ghaziabad, a densely populated suburb of Delhi. Witnesses reported hearing explosions before flames engulfed the upper floors. Many of the victims were workers sleeping inside the building, which housed electronics workshops and storage units. Firefighters battled the blaze for six hours before it was brought under control. At least 12 injured were rushed to hospital.
This is not the first such tragedy. India has a grim record of building fires due to poor enforcement of safety codes, overcrowding, and faulty wiring. In 2022, a fire in a similar building in Delhi killed 27. The Ghaziabad building had reportedly been flagged for safety violations last year, but no action was taken. A local police officer told me: “Multiple violations were noted. The owners were warned. But nothing changed.”
The involvement of UK experts is unusual. British fire investigation teams have deployed to major incidents abroad before such as the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017 but rarely as direct assistance to an Indian inquiry. An official source stressed that the team’s role would be purely advisory, focusing on technical analysis of the fire’s origin and spread. “This is a British government offer of goodwill. We are not taking over the investigation,” they said.
But a former senior investigator I spoke to questioned the motive. “Why now? India has its own capable forensic labs. Is there something they want us to find or not find?” The answer may lie in the building’s ownership. Uncovered documents reveal the property is partly owned by a shell company registered in London. I have seen the paperwork. The company’s directors are listed as two Indian nationals with addresses in West London. Neither could be reached for comment.
If the fire is linked to negligence by an offshore entity, the UK’s involvement could be a politically delicate move. The inquiry must be seen as impartial, particularly if British investigators uncover evidence that might embarrass London’s financial oversight. I have been told by a source in the Indian ministry of home affairs that the terms of reference for the UK team are still being negotiated. “There will be limits on what they can share publicly,” the source said.
For the families of the dead, such geopolitical manoeuvring is abstract. They want answers. One woman, waiting outside the hospital, told me her brother had called her just before the fire. “He said the stairwell was blocked. He couldn’t get out.” That detail already points to a building designed to trap its occupants. The UK experts will find plenty to work with. Whether their findings lead to real accountability remains to be seen.
Follow for updates. This story is developing.
