NEW DELHI: In the Shakarpur area of Laxmi Nagar in East Delhi, a man named Kamal Tiwari (40), took desperate measures to save his family from a fire that erupted in their five-storey building early Tuesday morning.
In a bid to protect his three-year-old child from the engulfing flames, Kamal wrapped the child in a blanket and threw him from the second-floor balcony before jumping himself, along with his wife Priyanka (36) and 12-year-old son. All four family members are currently receiving treatment, with three of them admitted to the ICU.
The family, who were sleeping when they detected smoke, realized the building was on fire, leaving the entrance completely engulfed in flames. With no other escape route, they resorted to jumping from the balcony to survive. Priyanka, the mother, attempted to contain the fire by pouring water on her family and in the room for half an hour. The elder son suggested jumping from the balcony to escape the impending danger.
Kamal, the last to jump from the second-floor flat, suffered multiple fractures. The younger child is dealing with internal bleeding and is unconscious, while Priyanka sustained major injuries and is undergoing treatment at RML Hospital. The father and both kids were later transferred to Kailash Deepak Hospital in Karkardooma due to critical conditions.
The fire, caused by a short circuit in the parking area, claimed the life of a 40-year-old woman, and 25 people were rescued by the Delhi Fire Service. Several other families in the building had to jump from their balconies to escape, with at least two residents suffering fractures. Locals alleged a delayed response from the electricity distribution company (discom) to cut power in the area, heightening concerns about potential electrical hazards.
This marks the second short-circuit incident in the building, with a similar occurrence reported last year around Diwali. Residents of nearby buildings fear that electricity poles in the vicinity with open wires may contribute to further mishaps.
(With agency inputs)
