‘Just 5 seconds saved me’: Brother of Delhi fire victim

Just five seconds stood between life and death for 25-year-old Musharaf. As a lithium battery exploded and flames engulfed a small-scale factory in east Delhi’s Old Govindpura area, he leapt from the first floor in a desperate attempt and saved himself. His cousins, however, were not as fortunate.

Tanveer (28) and Nusrat (22) died in the fire on Tuesday evening, while Faizal and Aasif (18), sustained serious burn injuries. All four were working in a lithium battery manufacturing unit on the first floor of a building surrounded by residential houses in a narrow bylane.

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“I was working with my cousins when suddenly, a battery exploded. Within seconds, flames spread across the room as the wires caught fire. In the chaos, Tanveer and Nusrat ran to the bathroom to fetch water. I shouted at them to escape, but they didn’t listen,” Musharaf told PTI, his voice shaking.

“I jumped out of the building using a cable, not knowing if it was electrified. I just wanted to save my life because I have a wife and two children. If I had waited even five seconds more, I would have been dead too,” he said. Musharaf sustained injuries to his foot from the fall.

The factory, which operated without any fire safety equipment, housed multiple units running in the same building — a battery manufacturing unit on the first floor and a lehenga-choli stitching unit on the upper two floors. The ground floor, meanwhile, was used as a sleeping area for workers.

The building is located inside a tightly packed residential neighbourhood with narrow lanes, making access for emergency vehicles challenging.

Relatives of the victims shared that the men were working in the factory to support their families. Nusrat had recently brought Aasif to work with him, hoping the extra income would alleviate their financial strain.

“Aasif had just completed Class 12. Nusrat asked him to join work here as their family is poor and has two younger brothers to feed. Now, Aasif is in critical condition at the hospital. We’re praying for his survival,” their cousin Mausam Ali said.

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Eyewitnesses recalled the moment chaos broke out in the area. Manish, a resident, said he was sitting in his room when he heard loud popping sounds that resembled firecrackers going off.

“When I stepped outside, thick black smoke was everywhere. We could not see anything clearly. We rushed to help, but initially didn’t know what to do. Eventually, people from the neighbourhood gathered and tried to assist the police and fire officials,” he said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam said that a call was received at the Jagatpuri Police Station at 8.46 pm about a fire in Band Gali, Old Govindpura.

“A team rushed to the spot and found around 10 people trapped inside the building. With the help of the fire brigade, six people were rescued,” Gautam said.

The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) said they received a distress call at 8.45 pm, following which six fire tenders were rushed to the scene. Local police and ambulance teams also responded promptly.

Authorities said the exact cause of the fire is under investigation.