Woman dead, 2 injured in fire in west Delhi

A fire in Paschim Puri, Delhi, killed 65-year-old Nirmala Devi and injured her husband and son. Cause unknown; investigation underway.

A 65-year-old woman was killed and her husband and son sustained injuries when a massive fire broke out at their house in Paschim Puri, west Delhi on Sunday night. Police said that the cause of the fire is yet to be determined but they have initiated legal action in the matter.

Nirmala Devi (HT Photo)

The deceased was identified as Nirmala Devi, a resident of New Slum Quarters in Paschim Puri in Madipur. The injured were identified as Prahalad Kumar, 68, and Jitender Kumar, 40, said deputy commissioner of police (west) Vichitra Veer.

The fire control room received a call about the fire at 10.27pm after which three fire tenders were pressed into service, said Delhi Fire Services director Atul Garg. “The fire broke out on the second floor of a three-storey apartment building. The area of one floor was 40 square yards,” Garg said.

The two injured men were in the balcony when fire officials arrived. Two constables and a sub-inspector from Madipur police post arranged a ladder from the neighbourhood and rescued the two men with the help of fire officials, said DCP Veer.

“We then entered the house from the balcony. The fire was only in one room where we found the woman lying on the floor. We doused the blaze within 10 minutes. The room only had a sofa, a refrigerator and a few other small items,” said Paschim Vihar fire station officer Naveen Thakran.

Garg said that the woman’s charred body was handed over to the police.

Police said that it was unclear how the two men reached the balcony but the woman could not escape. “Crime and forensics teams have been called for an inspection, and the statements of the injured men are being recorded,” Veer said.

Jitender, who is married, runs an apparel business and his wife and children live in a house near his parents, said his cousin Manoj Kumar, 45. On Sunday, Jitender was visiting his parents when the fire broke out. “Jitender was discharged early Monday morning. He said that his mother was cooking on a cylinder in the room when he heard the sound of a blast,” Kumar said.