Three fire incidents reported, one dead

Three separate fire incidents were reported in Delhi on Friday, leaving one youth dead and his brother injured.  No casualties were reported in the other two incidents.

The first incident was reported in the morning at a four-storey house in Nehru Vihar, under the Dayalpur police station. The ground floor was being used as a shop to repair and store laptop and mobile phone batteries. The family lived on the upper three floors. Within minutes, flames and thick smoke spread upwards, trapping those inside. Two brothers, Junaid (20) and Sameer (23), sons of Sabir, were badly burnt. Neighbours rushed them to Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital. Doctors declared Junaid dead. Sameer was treated and later discharged. The incident renews concerns about hazardous repair units operating in densely populated neighbourhoods.

Confirming the incident, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (North East) stated that the police received a call about the fire during the morning hours. “Our team reached the spot immediately. The fire originated in a laptop battery repair shop. Two brothers were injured and taken to the hospital. One of them succumbed to burn injuries,” the DCP said. He added that a case has been registered and the investigation is underway.

Residents said the fire was first noticed by a woman living across the street. She raised an alarm, drawing neighbours to the spot. Before fire tenders could arrive, locals tried to control the blaze and rescue the trapped family.

“They were stuck inside. Smoke was everywhere. We broke the windows and pulled them out,” a neighbour said. Another resident stated that the fire spread rapidly because batteries were stored in bulk on the ground floor.

Police said neighbours had moved the woman’s body from the first floor to the ground floor before officers arrived, which complicated the initial assessment. Forensic teams later inspected the site and collected evidence. An FIR (No. 583/25) has been registered at Dayalpur police station under Sections 106(1), 287 and 324(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to negligence and handling of hazardous material. Police are examining whether safety norms were violated.

Fire officials said lithium-ion batteries, commonly used in laptops and mobile phones, can catch fire easily if damaged or stored improperly. “Such units need strict safety measures. In cramped residential spaces, even a small spark can turn deadly,” an official said. Locals said several battery repair and storage shops operate from homes in Mustafabad and nearby areas. “These are ticking bombs. People live above these shops with no safety checks,” said a shopkeeper from the area.

Civic authorities said they would look into safety compliance in mixed-use buildings.

But enforcement remains weak in densely populated colonies, where commercial activity often spills into homes.

Police said statements of family members and neighbours are being recorded. Electrical wiring, battery storage practices and possible negligence are being examined. “Action will be taken based on the findings,” an officer said.

For residents of Nehru Vihar, the tragedy has left behind grief and fear. Many are now demanding stricter checks to ensure that dangerous repair work does not continue inside residential buildings.

The second incident was reported at 10.32 am from South Delhi’s Munirka area, where eight electrical meters installed in a residential building caught fire.  A fire tender was rushed to the spot, and the fire was successfully extinguished within about 10 minutes, officials said. No casualties were reported, and the exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

The third incident was reported at 10.57 am when a fire broke out at an e-rickshaw charging station in the Bindapur area of southwest Delhi. Upon receiving information, the fire department immediately dispatched two fire tenders.  “The fire was brought under control and completely doused within a short time, preventing it from spreading to nearby areas,” a fire services official said. No casualties were reported, and the cause of the fire is yet to be determined, he added.