Couple, daughter die in Faridabad blaze; son survives with injuries

A midnight blaze in a four-storey building at Green Field Colony, Faridabad, claimed the lives of a couple, their teenaged daughter, and their pet dog early Monday. The couple’s elder son survived with injuries after being rescued by a neighbour.

The deceased were identified as Sachin Kapoor (51), his wife Rinku (48) and daughter Sujjain (13). Their son Aryan (24), who sustained fractures in his legs, is undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

Originally from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Sachin had been living in Faridabad for around 25 years and was engaged in share trading. The family shifted to the rented second floor of the B Block building about five years ago. Sachin’s office was on the third floor, while the first and fourth floors were occupied by other families.

According to Ritu Malik, a resident of the first floor, the fire started around 3.15 am. “I woke up and saw the AC outdoor unit on fire. Within 10 minutes, the flames spread to the entire second floor. I called out to Sachin to come out, but instead he ran upstairs with his wife and daughter. The stairs to the terrace were closed, and they were trapped,” she said.

Ritu immediately alerted the fire brigade and neighbours tried to help. “There was smoke all around and they suffocated near the stairs. Vimlesh and his son Mayank from the neighbouring house tried to douse the fire with buckets of water. Mayank then climbed to the roof, broke the gate to release smoke and pulled Aryan out. Aryan was injured by broken glass during the rescue,” she added.

When fire brigade and police teams reached, Sachin, Rinku and Sujjain were found unconscious on the staircase. They were evacuated through the roof and rushed to hospital, but doctors declared them dead. Residents on the fourth floor were also rescued safely.

Ritu alleged that faulty wiring had long been an issue in the building. “Since we moved here five years ago, there have been wiring problems. Before buying the flat, I asked the builder Rakesh Yadav to replace the wiring, but he ignored it,” she claimed.

Police confirmed the deaths and said investigations are underway. “The bodies have been handed over to the family after postmortem. Preliminary probe suggests the fire was caused by a short circuit in the AC,” said Kriparam, incharge of Green Field police chowki.