Dhanbad fire: Police deployed outside Ashirwad Tower Apartment

Dhanbad (Jharkhand) [India], Februray 1 (ANI): Police personnel have been deployed outside Dhanbad's Ashirwad Tower Apartment where a massive fire broke out, claiming 14 lives and leaving several others injured.
One of the victims said everyone was getting ready for the wedding when they saw smoke entering the room.
"We were getting ready for my niece's wedding when we saw smoke entering the room. My brother-in-law told us that a fire had broken out. We were on the fourth floor and tried to go downstairs but felt suffocated due to the smoke. So we went to the terrace. Police came and rescued us," said a victim.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, meanwhile, condoled the loss of lives in the devastating fire at a Dhanbad apartment and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next-of-kin of the dead.
PM Modi also announced that an amount of Rs 50,000 each has also been sanctioned for the injured in the incident.
"An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased in the fire in Dhanbad. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," tweeted the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
PM Modi also wished the injured a speedy recovery.
"Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire in Dhanbad. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon," the PMO tweeted.
Earlier, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed his condolences over the death of 14 persons in the major fire in Dhanbad's Ashirwad Tower Apartment.
Soren said the district administration was working on a war footing and treatment is being provided to the injured.
"The death of people due to fire in Dhanbad's Ashirwad Tower Apartment is extremely heart-wrenching. The district administration is working on a war footing and providing treatment to those injured in the accident. I am looking into the whole matter myself," tweeted Soren.
He further said that everything possible is being done to provide quick medical treatment to the injured.
"May God grant peace to the departed souls and give strength to the bereaved families to bear the difficult times of grief. Everything possible is being done to provide quick medical treatment to the injured," he tweeted.
SSP Dhanbad Sanjiv Kumar said several people had gathered in the apartment for a marriage function.
"The cause of the fire is still not known. We're focusing on the rescue. The injured were shifted to the hospital," said Kumar. (ANI)