A late-night fire in south Delhi’s Tughlakabad area has once again brought the city’s fire safety concerns into focus, with officials confirming that eight people were rescued after flames and thick smoke spread through a ground-plus-five-storey residential building located inside a narrow lane.The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) received the first distress call at around 2:25 am from Gali No. 1, near Naya Tara Apartment, Madhyam Marg, Tughlakabad.Three water tenders, two water bowsers, one breathing set vehicle and a quick response vehicle were rushed to the spot under the supervision of fire official Yashwant Meena.The fire, according to DFS officials, started in the ground-floor parking area, where three scooties, two motorcycles and one bicycle caught fire. The flames and smoke quickly travelled upwards, affecting the entire building.While DFS teams managed to rescue eight people, including two girls who were brought down from the terrace after firefighters broke open the terrace gate, reports are comingthat three people have reportedly died in the incident. Further details from the hospital are awaited.Officials said the ground, first and second floors suffered complete damage, while the upper floors were partially affected.The incident has once again highlighted the vulnerability of Delhi’s densely packed residential colonies, where multi-storey buildings often stand in congested lanes that leave little room for emergency response vehicles and evacuation during a fire.The Tughlakabad blaze comes right after two weeks amid repeated fire incidents reported across Delhi in recent months, raising questions over Delhi’s building safety, fire preparedness, and enforcement of safety norms in residential areas.Despite government and civic authorities’ claims of improving management and making Delhi safer and reliable to live, incidents like these expose the continuing risks posed by narrow streets, unauthorised alterations, inadequate fire access, and densely constructed buildings.For firefighters, every minute becomes critical in such structures. A narrow approach road can delay rescue operations, while smoke travelling through staircases and common passages can turn a small parking fire into a life-threatening disaster within minutes.The Tughlakabad fire is now likely to put the spotlight back on Delhi’s fire safety regulations, building approvals and the ongoing campaign to demolish illegal structures in city after Malaviya Nagar incident.