New Delhi, May 3 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed deep grief over the loss of lives in a fire incident in the Shahdara district of the national capital and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased.

At least nine people were killed in the fire that broke out in a residential building in the Vivek Vihar area of Shahdara early this morning.

The Prime Minister described the mishap as "extremely distressing" and offered his condolences to the bereaved families.

"The loss of lives due to a fire mishap in Delhi's Shahdara district is extremely distressing. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured," the PMO stated in a post on soci...