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Mother shields 4 kids from deadly fire, loses own life in Prayagraj
Archana, along with her three children and 10-year-old nephew, got trapped on the terrace as smoke filled the building and blocked all possible exits. With no safe route left, she first wrapped her one-year-old baby in a bedsheet and carefully handed the infant across a narrow gap to neighbours waiting on a nearby rooftop.
A mother’s final moments rescuing her children from a raging fire in Prayagraj’s old Naini market were captured on CCTV footage that surfaced days after the tragedy, showing 35-year-old Archana battling flames and thick smoke before losing her life. Trapped on a terrace as fire engulfed the multi-storey building on May 12 night, she allegedly saved four children, including her one-year-old baby, before collapsing amid the blaze.
The fire allegedly broke out following an electrical short circuit in a plastic warehouse located on the ground floor of the building and spread rapidly to adjoining residential portions, chief fire officer (CFO) CM Sharma said.
Archana, along with her three children and 10-year-old nephew, got trapped on the terrace as smoke filled the building and blocked all possible exits. With no safe route left, she first wrapped her one-year-old baby in a bedsheet and carefully handed the infant across a narrow gap to neighbours waiting on a nearby rooftop.
She then placed a ladder between the two terraces, creating a temporary bridge for the remaining children. One by one, she helped her daughters Priyanshi, 13, and Shivanya, 10, along with her nephew Luv, 10, cross to safety.
After ensuring all four children escaped, Archana was left alone on the smoke-filled terrace. Within minutes, thick fumes and flames surrounded her, leaving no room to escape.
Firefighters later reached her by breaking through a neighbouring house wall and accessing the second-floor balcony, but she was found unconscious and rushed to hospital, where doctors declared her dead.
CFO Sharma said the multi-storey structure was built five to six decades ago and had later been converted into a commercial establishment.
“A short circuit on the ground floor triggered the fire, which quickly spread upward. The building had only one entry and exit point, which was obstructed with plastic ware, leaving no escape route for occupants,” he said.
He added that firefighters faced difficulty accessing upper floors due to the blocked staircase and entrance.
Local corporator Rakesh Jaiwal said encroachment in the access passage may have worsened the situation. “I have asked shopkeepers in the market to keep entry and exit passages clear to avoid such incidents in future,” he said.
The CCTV footage, which surfaced nearly a week after the incident, has since drawn attention to Archana’s rescue effort, documenting the moments she allegedly prioritised saving the children even as the fire closed in around her.
