Man dies, six of family injured in Delhi fire

A man was burnt to death while six members of his family suffered burn injuries when a major fire broke out on Friday in east Delhi, police said.

Police said the fire broke out in three shops in a building in Maujpur around 5.45 a.m. when the victims were asleep. 

The deceased was identified as Harish, 43, while the family members injured were his mother Amrit Devi, 65, Sunil, 47, Gyanshyam, 28, Neha, 18, Abhishek, 12 and six year-old Anant. 

The condition of three of them was said to be critical.

"Harish's neighbour informed Delhi Fire Services after which three fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the blaze doused at 6.50 a.m.," said a fire officer.

"Prima facie, an electrical short circuit in a mobile phone shop in the building caused the fire," he said. Two shops dealing in cosmetics and motor spare parts were also damaged.

"Hearing his mother's cries for help, Harish had rushed downstairs. While rescuing her, he received over 80 per cent burn injuries and died on the spot," the officer said.

Firefighters and police faced difficulty in dousing the fire and rescuing the injured due to the narrow approach pathway to the building, he added.