Minor boy dies, 3 hurt in fire

Family was asleep, short- circuit suspected: Officials

A four- year- old boy died of suffocation and three others were injured on Wednesday after a fire broke out in a house in southwest Delhi’s R. K. Puram area.

The police suspects that the fire started due to short- circuit in a junction box of the house. Four persons, including the boy, were found in an unconscious condition and were rushed to a hospital where the child was declared brought dead. The boy, Abhinav, died due to suffocation, the police said.

A call was received at 1 am about the fire and three fire- tenders were rushed to the spot, an officer from the Delhi Fire Service said. The flames were brought under control at about 2 am.

The fire started due to short- circuit in a junction box of the house, the police said. Four people, including the boy, were found in an unconscious condition and were rushed to hospital, they said.

“Abhinav, 4, died due to suffocation while his grandmother Darshana ( 74), his father Pankaj ( 37) and mother Swati ( 34) were injured during the rescue operation at second floor.

Pankaj works as a stenographer in Udyog Bhavan. “The injured persons are being treated in a private hospital,” said a senior police official.

“Prima facie, it appears that the fire broke out due to short circuit in wires when the entire family was asleep.”