Five killed, four injured in Delhi fire incidents

New Delhi: Five persons, including a seven- months pregnant woman, were charred to death while four others were injured in three separate fire incidents in the city in a span of 24 hours.

In the first incident reported in outer Delhi's Sultanpuri area, a seven-months pregnant woman and her niece died in a blaze in a four-storeyed house which broke out around 4 am, according to officials from the Delhi Fire Services.

Anjali (30) and her niece, Aditi (13), were charred to death while Anjali's daughter, Taviska (8) sustained burn injuries and is critical.

The house in Krishna Vihar belongs to Ramthirtha Bhardwaj and one of his sons got married last night itself. Anjali was his daughter-in-law while Aditi was his grand-daughter.

The two had returned from the wedding function and decided to retire at the house, while the men stayed back to attend the ceremonies.

A senior police official said that the fire broke due to explosion in the compressor of the air-conditioner. Fire spread to the curtains and the wooden doors.

Locals alleged that they immediately informed the fire department and the police about the incident but the fire- tenders were late. Some of the other women were rescued while Anjali, her daughter and the niece were trapped in the blaze.

Taviska is currently undergoing treatment at the AIIMS Trauma Centre. A case has been registered at Sultanpuri plice station.

In the second incident, a 50-year-old man died when a major fire engulfed a godown in Malviya Nagar. Around 30 shanties in the vicinity were gutted. The deceased was identified as Ashok Gupta.

A fire official said that 25 fire tenders were rushed there and the charred body was found on the spot.

A senior official said that the Delhi government has announced Rs 2 lakh compensation for the family of Gupta. Besides, the government has also offered to provide Rs 25,000 for each affected household.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has directed all district magistrates to conduct a survey in their respective areas to identify spots, including scrap godowns, which are vulnerable to such incidents.

The third incident was reported in southeast Delhi's Sriniwaspuri area at around 8.20 PM yesterday due to gas leakage.

The victims--Vasudev (50) and his son Arjun (18)--were preparing food when the fire broke out.

They worked as labourers. Both of them had suffered 80 per cent burn injuries and were admitted to a hospital where they succumbed during treatment.

The fire department handled 92 calls between midnight till 8 PM today, an official from the Delhi Fire Services said.