Delhi firefighter succumbs to burn injuries nine days after Majlis Park incident

Lead fireman Suresh Kumar Pahal, injured in a firefighting operation, succumbed to his injuries, leaving behind a family and colleagues who mourn his dedication.

NEW DELHI

The site of the fire. (PTI)

Lead fireman Suresh Kumar Pahal, fondly called “Pahal saab” by his colleagues, succumbed to 30% burn injuries he suffered while undertaking firefighting operations on February 22 in Majlis Park at a city hospital on Monday, HT has learnt.

Pahal lived with his family in Ganaur of Sonepat in neighbouring Haryana. He is survived by his wife Rajendri Devi, 50, sons Sachin, 31, and Mohit, 25, and daughters Anjali, and Kusum, identified by their single names.

Speaking to HT, Sachin, a businessman, said that Pahal was first admitted to Safdarjung Hospital. “We then shifted him to Sir Ganga Ram hospital on February 26. But the infection spread to his body and his kidneys failed. He was put on ventilator support two days later and died on Monday night at 10.30pm,” he said.

On February 22, 14 people, including three firefighters and three policemen, were injured when an LPG cylinder exploded during firefighting operations at a four-storey residential building in northwest Delhi’s Majlis Park. The fire broke out at 9am, and when the responders were entering the building, the cylinder in a first-floor house burst, shattering glass windows, furniture and doors, and setting rescue personnel afire.

Among those to have suffered over 30% burns were firefighters Pahal, 56, Ved Prakash, 50, and Sita Ram, 29. Delhi Police sub-inspector (of the PCR unit) Prem Pal, 54, ASI Sandeep, 49, and constable Rahul, 31, from the Adarsh Nagar police station, suffered 10-15% burn injuries. Police said the three firemen were in the stilt parking lot and were evacuating residents when they suffered injuries to their faces, back, chest and other parts.

Sachin said that the last conversation Pahal had was with his mother, on February 27. “He asked her not to worry and that he will be fine but he never came back,” he said, breaking into tears.

Pahal joined the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) as a fire operator in August 1996 and was promoted to leading fireman in September 2025, after 29 years of service.

Sachin said that his father was so dedicated that he barely took a day off from work. “He was a very social man. Fire operators across ranks knew him and he helped everyone in need, even financially,” he said, citing visits by fire officers of all ranks visiting his father in the hospital.

Pahal’s colleagues remembered him as a dedicated officer.

Station officer Vijay Dahiya, who had joined the service 17 years ago and served under Pahal at the Rohini fire station, said he became Pahal’s senior after taking an exam, but greatly respected him. “Three years ago, I joined as station officer at the Wazirpur fire station and ‘Pahal Saab’ reported to me, but I always respected him as a senior because that’s how I started,” Dahiya said.

Dahiya said Pahal saved countless lives in hundreds of operations, and even his life a day before the Majlis Park incident. “We had gone for a firefighting operation on February 21 and my foot slipped on the ladder. He held the ladder strong and pulled me down; otherwise, I would have fallen from,” Dahiya said.

Pahal’s last rites were performed on Tuesday and his body was wrapped in the tricolour as he died in the line of duty.

In the past five years, Pahal’s was the second death during a firefighting operation. Before that, in 2021, 31-year-old fireman Praveen Kumar died 18 days after he suffered burn injuries during a firefighting operation at a paper plate manufacturing factory in Narela industrial area.