Fire engulfs house, kills family of 4

In a tragic incident, a couple and their children aged eight and three years were killed after a major fire gutted their residence during the early hours on Friday, in Northwest Delhi's Kohat Enclave area near Rohini. All four were found dead near the main staircase, suggesting that they died of suffocation while attempting to escape.

In past one week, at least 12 people have been charred to death in the Capital, in seven different incidents, while at least 14 have been critically injured.

According to the Delhi Fire Service officials, the tragedy unfolded at around 2.45 am when all the occupants of the building were asleep. The deceased were identified as Rakesh Nagpal (40), his wife Tina Nagpal (37), their son Himanshu (8) and daughter Shreya (3), who lived at the first floor of the building.

Atul Garg, Chief Fire Officer of the Delhi Fire Services said that call was received at 2.50 am. “At least three fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the blaze was contained within an hour and a half. On inspection, four people, including two kids were found unconscious inside a house on the first floor. It seemed they passed out due to suffocation while attempting to escape. Three others, had to be rescued from the building and were rushed to a hospital for treatment,” Garg said.

Five cars, five scooters and two motorcycles were also charred. A crime and forensics team also visited the spot and a police case has been registered to probe the incident, said a senior police officer. Bodies of the deceased were sent for post mortem.

The three-story building had at least 25 to 30 occupants. It was the family on the third floor which was the first responder. They woke up spotting the dense smoke and while rushing down the stairs, rang the door bells of all the houses to alert them. While others managed to escape, by wither running out of the building or hiding in the back portion, there was no response from  Nagpal's residence.

“The families living at the third and upper ground floor had escaped. The fire spread in no time and charred all the vehicles parked in the vicinity, which may have fuelled the blaze. Probably, by the time the Nagpal's realised the situation, they were trapped. The family living on the second floor acted wisely and moved to the back the side of the flat near the washing area,” said Raman, a resident of the first floor.

 Bablu, one of the eyewitnesses and the building's security guard said, “I was sleeping on the ground floor of the building. All of a sudden I heard a small explosion. I immediately woke up to check and spotted a spark in an electricity meter on the ground floor. So I raised alarm and alerted the residents of the building.”

 The residents also complained that the fire brigade reached late to the spot and that if responded quickly, the victims could have been saved. “A call was made at around 2:50 but the fire tender came around 4 am. A fire tender that had arrived first, couldn't build pressure enough and had to be returned,” Raman said.

In a statement issued by the Tata Power, “This refers to the tragic fire incident that occurred at the three story building in Pitampura's Kohat Enclave at 2 am Friday morning in which four people lost their lives. As per our preliminary investigation report, the fire could have been initiated from Distribution Board/MCB and spread out due to vehicles parked and pieces of wood in the vicinity. The fire did not initiate from the meter box and it was found intact with no bulging, decomposition or breakage, which generally happens in case of short circuit and initiation of fire from inside. Also, the walls and adjoining areas of the meter box have no traces of soot, smoke or fire. We are awaiting the detailed report on the incident from the Delhi Fire Service and Delhi Police to corroborate our findings. Our sympathies are with the family of the deceased.”