By Dwaipayan Ghosh
The Times of India
NEW DELHI, India — At least five people, including two firemen, were injured in a cylinder blast while trying to put out a fire inside an Old Delhi house on Saturday. The incident was reported from the Nai Sarak area early in the morning.
Luckily, all three members of the family whose house caught fire — owner Virender, his wife and their child — escaped with minor injuries. The five injured were admitted to Lok Nayak hospital and are under observation.
Police and fire department sources said a short circuit started a fire in house number 2294 around 5.30am.
“The caller mentioned that household items had caught fire. When fire officials Pappu Singh and Brahmjeet reached the spot, they were met outside the house by three men, Mukesh Jain, Dinesh Jain and Shekhar Sharma. The firemen asked whether the main electricity supply was switched off and a gas cylinder was kept inside the two-storey house. When neighbours assured them the house had no cylinder, all five went inside and tried to douse the fire. Within minutes, there was a blast and all five were injured. The PCR van waiting outside rushed them to hospital,’’ said a senior officer.
Officials said at least four of the injured — the three neighbours and Pappu Singh — have burns. Brahmjeet escaped with minor injuries.
“It is an unfortunate incident and the worst injury to any fireman this year,’’ said fire chief AK Sharma.
Sharma said the incident could have been avoided had the firemen been provided with proper information.
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