Two scarp dealers die, 3 injured in outer Delhi fire

Two scrap dealers died while three of their associates suffered injuries after a blaze in a plot, used for storing cardboards and other items caught fire in the outer Delhi’s Pitampura area, police said on Tuesday.

The deceased were identified as as Biresh Kumar and Satish, residents of Nalanda Bihar.

A PCR call was received in the wee hours of Tuesday and a team rushed to the spot. The flames were brought under control with the help of six fire tenders from the Delhi Fire Service (DFS)

During rescue operations, five persons with burn injuries were found at the site and were immediately shifted to BJRM Hospital, Jahangirpuri where two of them, Biresh and Satish, were declared brought dead by the doctors, while the remaining injured are undergoing treatment.

A preliminary enquiry revealed that all five persons were living in tin sheds erected at the plot and were engaged in collecting scrap cardboard and carton boxes from nearby markets and selling the same, the official added.

One injured person, Dinesh, told the cops that he attempted to rescue Biresh and Satish but was unable to do so due to the intensity of the fire. There were four tin sheds housing highly inflammable material, as a result the fire spread rapidly and completely gutted two of the sheds, resulting in fatal burn injuries to Biresh and Satish.

After the flames were doused off, a crime and FSL team inspected the scene of occurrence and exhibits were lifted for further examination. The exact cause of the fire could not be ascertained at this stage and is under investigation, the official added.

The dead bodies have been preserved at BJRM Hospital mortuary for further legal formalities.