Fire guts e-bike shop in Gurgaon, owner blames snag in power meter

Gurgaon: As many as 25 electric bikes were gutted in a fire when the basement of a Hero e-bike showroom in Ashok Vihar caught fire after a short circuit around 9.30am on Thursday, shortly before it was to open.
Within minutes, the fire spread rapidly, engulfing the entire basement, which housed many e-scooters and bikes. No casualties were reported. The blaze was controlled in an hour, preventing the fire from reaching the ground and first floors.
The showroom owner said a fault in the electricity meter caused the fire, alleging no action was taken on his complaint.
Discom officials said they received no complaint about the electricity meter.
Yuvan Automobiles, near the Sector 5 roundabout on Palam Vihar Road, housed a new scooter showroom on the ground floor, while scooters -- new and those that required servicing -- were parked in the basement.
When employees noticed the blaze, they attempted to control it. They had to alert the fire department as the fire spread rapidly. The batteries did not explode, averting a major incident. The fire department contained the fire in an hour.
Ayush, the showroom owner, said, "There was an issue with the electricity meter. I informed the electricity corporation via email to repair or replace the meter. I visited the electricity department office on Wednesday to file a complaint. But no action was taken, leading to the short circuit and subsequent fire."
Fire department officer Narendra Singh said, "We were alerted about the fire at the EV showroom at 9.30am, after which fire tenders were dispatched to the site. The fire brigade prevented the fire from spreading further and contained it before it reached the ground and first floors. The cause of the fire was identified as a short circuit."
Ravindra Pal, sub-divisional officer DHBVN, said they receive hundreds of complaints daily, which are resolved based on priority.
"We received no email from the Hero Electric scooter showroom owner, nor was any such complaint brought to my attention by the junior engineer. If he files a complaint, it will be investigated," said Pal.