Police rescue woman, child as luxury sedan catches fire in south Delhi

The woman was driving, with her son seated beside her, when flames suddenly erupted from the front portion of the car as they waited for the light to turn green.

A 38-year-old woman and her five-year-old son had a narrow escape in southeast Delhi’s Alaknanda area after their Mercedes E-Class sedan caught fire while they were waiting at a traffic signal on Thursday evening. Police said both were rescued in time, though they sustained minor injuries.

Water from a DJB tanker was used to douse the fire. (HT Photo)

According to police, the incident took place around 5.30pm near the Tara Apartment crossing. The woman was driving, with her son seated beside her, when flames suddenly erupted from the front portion of the car as they waited for the light to turn green.

Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Ratan Lal Meena and constable Rahul, stationed at a nearby police booth, rushed to the spot after hearing locals shout for help.

“I rushed to the car as people were screaming. The woman and her son were locked inside, and the vehicle was engulfed in smoke and flames. Some people were shouting that it could explode… everyone was panicking,” said Meena.

Meena and Rahul, assisted by a traffic police official, tried to open the car’s window using sticks and rods. They avoided breaking it forcefully, fearing the glass shards might injure the child.

“After two to three minutes, we managed to open the window, but the fire was spreading quickly. We spotted a Delhi Jal Board tanker nearby and immediately stopped it. There was no time to waste—we used the tanker’s water to douse the flames and safely rescued the woman and the child,” Meena said.

DCP (southeast) Hemant Tiwari praised the police team for their quick thinking and bravery. “They averted a major tragedy by rescuing a 38-year-old woman and her child before the fire could cause serious harm. They also promptly arranged water from a DJB tanker,” he said.

An officer added that the woman, a resident of Kalkaji Extension, was headed out for some work when the incident occurred. “She was terrified when the fire started but later thanked the team for saving her and her son,” the officer said.