In a shocking incident, two minor girls- aged two-year-old and three-year-old respectively were badly burnt after they were trapped inside a white Swift Dzire car in their garage which accidentally caught fire in Outer Delhi's Sultanpuri area on Thursday afternoon. The two children suffered 50 per cent burn injuries and were rushed to Sanjay Gandhi hospital from where they were transferred to the Safdarjung hospital.
Police said that the incident came to light on Thursday afternoon at around 1 pm in the Krishna Vihar area of the Sultanpuri, when two year-old lakshita and three-year-old Deepanshi were playing in the White Swift Dzire car.
"lakshita and Deepanshi are cousins. They were playing in the car while their parents were away at work. At the time of the incident, only their grandparents were at home," said a senior police official.
In the preliminary enquiry, the family of the two minor girls claimed that the car was locked from inside and that all the window except the one close to driver's seat were rolled up. Since the parents of these two children were away, it was their grandfather, Hanuman Prasad was at home. Neighbours witnessed fire coming out from the car, following which they informed Hanuman Prasad.
The elderly man rushed the two children with the help of the locals to the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial hospital. Since the minors had suffered 50 per cent burns, the doctors at the Sanjay Gandhi hospital referred the kids to the Safdarjung hospital.
Mohit is the father of Deepanshi and Manoj is lakshita's father. They own a cardboard manufacturing factory in Paharganj.
"It was a usual thing for these kids to play in the car. Since the grandparents live on the ground floor, the parents of the two minor girls who live on the first and second floor were busy in the household chores," said a senior police officer.
Police said that apart from the local police, the fire tenders from the Delhi Fire Service were also pressed into service.
"The girls were pulled out of the car through the window and rushed to Safdarjung hospital. They were later referred to the burns ward of the hospital. The sisters have suffered 50 per cent burns on their arms, face, back and chest. Their condition is said to be stable," a senior police officer said.
Police said that the cause of the fire, how it broke out is yet to be established.
"We have called a team from the Forensic Science laboratory to examine the spot. It appears that the fire started from the bonnet after a short circuit. It was a second hand car. We have called in specialists to examine the car as well. We have initiated an inquiry into the matter," said a senior police official.