Brothers among three labourers burnt to death as tent catches fire

Three labourers were charred to death, while another was injured after a fire broke out in a temporary tent in Anand Vihar, Shahdara, here early on Tuesday morning, police officials said.

The labourers, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh (UP), were asleep when the incident took place. They were employed by Indraprastha Gas Limited. The victims were residing in a temporary tent on a DDA plot near Rotary Club office in Anand Vihar.

According to the police, the cause of the fire is being probed. A gas cylinder also burst during the incident. The labourers used to keep a small lamp on a cooler stand to light up their tent.

“The police received a call about a fire at 2:42 am. After getting information, a police team and the Fire Department reached the spot immediately,” DCP (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam said.

Three fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames. The blaze was brought under control in half an hour, a Fire Department official said.

The deceased have been identified as Jaggi (30) and brothers Shyam Singh (40) and Kanta Prasad (37), while the injured person has been identified as Nitin (32). He, however, managed to escape, but suffered injuries on his leg.

According to the police, Nitin stated that Shyam noticed fire in the tent around 2 am and woke up others. “He even tried to open the lock inside the tent, but could not succeed. While Nitin managed to escape, others remained trapped inside,” the police said.

The deceased were residents of Banda and Auraiya districts in Uttar Pradesh. The police said the bodies had been shifted to the mortuary of a hospital and further probe was underway.

The police have registered a case under Section 106 (1) (death by negligence) at the Anand Vihar police station.

“Statements of Jeetender, another labourer, and Rampal, father of Kanta and Shyam Singh, were recorded. The site was inspected by forensic experts, fire brigade and a crime team,” the DCP said.

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met the bereaved families. In a post on X, she said: “The news of death of three people in a fire at Seva Basti in Anand Vihar, Delhi, is heart-rending. May God give strength to the bereaved families to bear this loss. The Delhi Government has ordered the district administration to give a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the families of the deceased.”