Khoda fire tragedy toll rises to four after 21-yr-old woman dies

The 21-year-old succumbed to a medical condition. All four suffered severe health complications due to inhalation of toxic fumes. None suffered burn injuries

Ghaziabad:The death toll in the March 3 fire at a multi-storeyed residential building in Khoda rose to four after a 21-year-old woman succumbed to injuries on Tuesday, police said on Wednesday.

Police said since none of the affected families filed a complaint, they registered an FIR on March 8 against unidentified persons under sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to fire), 324(4) (mischief), and 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Khoda police station. (HT Photo)

According to police, Rajendra Kumar Chauhan, 45, and his wife, Meena Devi, 42, died during treatment on the night of March 3. Their daughters, Neetu Chauhan, 26, succumbed to injuries on March 7 and Anjali Chauhan, 21, died on Tuesday at GTB hospital in Delhi, police said.

“All four were from the same family. The 21-year-old succumbed to a medical condition. All four suffered severe health complications due to inhalation of toxic fumes. None suffered burn injuries. At present, no other injured person is under treatment,” Abhishek Srivastava, ACP of the Indirapuram circle, told HT.

In the FIR, police said the fire started at the five-storeyed building, Sunheri Residency, around 11pm.

Friends of the family said that the Chauhan’s were originally from Gopalganj in Bihar and shifted to the first-floor at the building in 2022.

“Rajendra had a small tailoring shop in Vasundhara Enclave in Delhi. Neetu worked with an NGO, while Anjali was pursuing her graduation from Delhi University. The family bought the flat on EMI for 25 years. On the night of the incident, all six members, including Chauhan’s two sons, were asleep when a fire started on the ground floor and a thick smoke filled the building. Within minutes, all six went unconscious and could not find a way out,” Ashok Kumar Mandal, Chauhan’s family friend told HT.

The fire department officials rescued about 150 residents and 22 of them were rushed to hospitals in Delhi.

Chauhan’s two sons Aniket Chauhan, 27, and Deepak Chauhan, 25, are the only two survivors in the family.

“Since the incident, the two have been shuttling between hospital and cremation ground. First, Chauhan and his wife were cremated, followed by Neetu. Anjali’s last rites were also performed at the same cremation ground in Ghazipur, Delhi. The two survivors plan not to return to the flat. The building had no fire alarms or fire-fighting equipment and had only one exit gate,” Mandal added.

On March 8, HT reported that the 45-apartment building lacked approved layout plans and a no objection certificate (NOC), according to chief fire officer Rahul Pal and Khoda Nagar Palika executive officer Shailendra Kumar Singh.

“No house tax was levied either. There is also no completion certificate. The Palika board has not approved the by-laws, so many buildings operate without layout maps. An inquiry is underway and a report will soon be prepared,” Singh said last Saturday.

Police said since none of the affected families filed a complaint, they registered an FIR on March 8 against unidentified persons under sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to fire), 324(4) (mischief), and 106(1) (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Khoda police station.

“All concerned, including the developer, will be called to give their statements and produce required documents,” ACP added.