2 teens charred to death in fire at e-rickshaw charging station
Two teenagers were charred to death, while four others sustained burn injuries after a massive fire broke out at an e-rickshaw charging and parking station in Shahdara district here early on Sunday morning.
The incident took place around 6:40 am near Ram Mandir on Moti Ram Road in the Ram Nagar area.
According to the Delhi Police, the deceased have been identified as Brijesh (19) and Maniram (18), both natives of Tikamgarh district in Madhya Pradesh. The two were reportedly asleep inside the tin shed structure when the blaze erupted and gort trapped inside. Their charred bodies were later recovered from the debris after the flames were brought under control.
The structure, measuring approximately 300 to 400 square yards, functioned as a multi-purpose godown, serving as a parking and charging station for e-rickshaws and a storage space for sugarcane juice machines. It also served as a makeshift residence for the six men, all of whom sold sugarcane juice from their e-rickshaws.
The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) received an emergency call at 6:40 am. After getting information, five fire tenders were pressed into service.
“The fire was significant and had engulfed most of the shed when our teams arrived. We managed to control the blaze by 8:30 am,” said Atul Garg, Director of the DFS.
The injured persons identified as Harishankar (19) from Tikamgarh, and Rinku (18), Mukesh (22), and Vipin (19) from Maharajganj district in Uttar Pradesh were rushed to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital.
According to the hospital authorities, Harishankar sustained 45 per cent burns, Rinku 30 per cent, while Mukesh and Vipin suffered relatively minor injuries with 7 per cent burns each.
An electrical short circuit is suspected to have caused the blaze. The police said a detailed inspection would be conducted to examine the fire safety compliance of the premises. The police have apprehended Vinod Rathore, in-charge of the premises, who had rented the shed and was responsible for its operations. Further investigation is on to determine any lapses in safety protocols and accountability.
Delhi