Two firemen were killed while two others were injured after a cylinder blew up during their attempt to enter a shop in west Delhi’s Vikaspuri where a fire was reported on Friday morning.
Deceased in their 40s
Hari Singh Meena and Hari Om, both in their 40s, were thrown aside after one of the four cylinders in the shop went up in flames, said senior fire officers. Their colleagues, Navin and Ravinder Singh, also suffered burns.
They are said to be out of danger.
The Fire Department received a call about a small fire in an eatery called Chatkora in Lal Market of Vikapuri’s H-Block around 5.30 a.m., said Atul Garg, Additional Director (Delhi Fire Service).
Fire started from a fridge
“Three fire tenders and around six to seven men were attending to the call. The fire had started from a refrigerator. The firemen needed to enter and spray water,” said Mr. Garg.
Hari Om and Hari Meena, along with Navin and Ravinder, managed to open the lock of the shutter. They had barely started rolling it up when the cylinder blew up. “All four were injured. Hari Om and Hari Meena’s burns were critical,” Mr. Garg added.
The owner of the eatery or other shopkeepers were not around considering the time.
Despite his injuries, Ravinder managed to help Navin and pull him away from the flames.
The police, who were informed meanwhile, rushed the four firemen to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital where one was declared brought dead while another died during treatment.
Two others were referred to BLK Super Speciality Hospital in Central Delhi.
Case registered
The eatery is owned by one Satpal who has taken the shop on rent. He had shifted here six months ago.
The police have registered a case of causing death by negligence. A senior officer said that the cause of the fire was being probed.
