January 9 -  A woman labourer died and several others were injured today in a fire that broke out in the temporary cabins erected at the Commonwealth Games Village site in New Delhi, police said.



The police said the fire was reported at 4.50am in Games Village’s Block Number 7, in the section that houses labourers working at the site.

Around 12 fire engines were rushed to the spot and the blaze was brought under control by 6.20am, the police said.

The injured were rushed to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital and discharged after first aid, the police said.

According to the police, body of a 40-year-old woman was recovered this evening.

The woman was charred beyond recognition and her identity was later established as Monica, a resident of West Bengal.

She was a labourer at the site, officials said.

The incident has raised further questions about the safety standards being employed at construction projects linked to the Commonwealth Games, especially as the pressure builds to get everything finished in time for the event, which opens on October 3.

There have been a number of constrution-related accidents at Games sites and the Government have blamed the frantic rush to get ready in time for the opening ceremony  for a rise in the number of traffic accidents in the city.

A fire also broke out last month at the rugby stadium under construction for the Games, although no-one was injured and the damage was minor.

The site at the Village has around 200 Potakabins, which have roofs lined with foam for protection against winters, with three labourers sleeping in each cabin.

The police said the labourers were preparing tea and had lit a fire, which spread.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East), K C Dwivedi said that fire spread quickly because of the foam in roofs.

The temporary cabins were reportedly provided by the contractor for the labourers working at the site.

A spokesman for the police said: “The person responsible for the cabins is being established and would be held liable."


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