Fire erupts in Delhi’s Uphaar cinema hall

A fire broke out on Sunday at Delhi’s Uphaar cinema hall, where a major blaze had killed 59 people in 1997, NDTV reported. No casualty was reported.

Delhi Fire Service received a call at 4.46 am about the fire inside the cinema hall. Atul Garg, the fire service’s director, said that nine fire tenders were sent to douse the flames.

A few derelict seats, furniture and rubbish caught minor fire, unidentified officials told NDTV.

The fire was brought under control by 7.20 am, Garg told PTI.

While the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, officials said that the cinema hall’s balcony and a floor were affected in the incident.

The 1997 tragedy

On June 13, 1997, during the screening of Bollywood film Border, a fire broke out at Uphaar cinema hall in Delhi’s Green Park locality. The fire killed 59 people and injured around 100.

Most of the victims died of suffocation, while several others sustained injuries in the stampede that ensued. During the investigation, it was revealed that the cinema hall authorities had blocked the exit doors to add more seats.

The Ansal brothers had been convicted by a trial court in 2015. They were, however, spared a jail term due to their age but were fined Rs 30 crore each. In February 2017, the Supreme Court sent Gopal Ansal to jail for one year but spared Sushil Ansal.

On November 8, the Ansal brothers were sentenced to seven years in jail for tampering with evidence in connection with the tragedy.

In February this year, the Delhi High Court dismissed their petitions seeking suspension of their seven-year sentence.