Two children dead, three others injured in Noida fire

Their father Dinesh Solanki (40) suffered serious burn injuries while mother Mamta Solanki (38) and four-year-old brother Shivay suffered minor burns. The injured were admitted to a private hospital in Noida where their condition is stable.

Two sisters, aged 12 and 9 years, died while their parents and younger brother suffered burns in a fire that broke out in the ground floor of a five-storey building in Gadhi Chaukhandi village under Phase 3 police station limits on Monday.

The family was sleeping in their flat when the fire started at around 5.50am. The fire department suspects that a short-circuit in an air-conditioner sparked it. (HT Archive)

The family was sleeping in their flat when the fire started at around 5.50am. The fire department suspects that a short-circuit in an air-conditioner sparked it.

Fire department officials said that they arrived at the scene at around 6.05am and the blaze was controlled in 20 minutes. Around 20 people, including those living on other floors, were rescued, they added.

The department said Rudrakshi (12) and Kritika (9) were charred to death.

Their father Dinesh Solanki (40) suffered serious burn injuries while mother Mamta Solanki (38) and four-year-old brother Shivay suffered minor burns. The injured were admitted to a private hospital in Noida where their condition is stable, police said.

Ankur Agarwal, additional deputy commissioner of police, Noida Central, said, “The police and fire department teams rushed to the spot after getting the information.”

NK Singh, fire safety officer, Noida Phase 3, said three fire tenders were pressed into service. “It appears that the fire was sparked due to a short circuit in the air conditioner. Rudrakshi, who was sleeping near the air conditioner, was charred to death. Her sister Kritika too died the same way,” he said.

Local resident H P Chaudhury said that people gathered at the spot immediately after they heard the building residents’ cry for help.

“We immediately informed the police and also tried to douse the fire ourselves with water from pipes. There is only one entry and exit for each floor through the lobby of the ground floor and the fire had blocked it. Out of fear, an elderly woman jumped from the first floor and was caught by the people on the ground,” he said.

Vivek Trivedi, station house officer, Phase 3 police station, said that Dinesh has received serious burn injuries.

“His wife and son are recovering at the hospital. We have not received any complaint in this case,” he said.