Three charred to death as makeshift tent catches fire in east Delhi

Three men lost their lives after a massive fire engulfed a makeshift tent near the AGCR Enclave in Anand Vihar, east Delhi, early Tuesday morning, officials said.

The Delhi Fire Services received an emergency call at 2:22 AM and dispatched three fire tenders to the site. Firefighters managed to control the blaze by 2:50 AM, but the damage had already been done. At 3:10 AM, station officer Feroz confirmed the recovery of three charred bodies from inside the tent.

The victims have been identified as Jaggi (30), and brothers Shyam Singh (40) and Kanta Prasad (37), all residents of Auraiya, Uttar Pradesh. According to police, the men, who worked as labourers, died due to asphyxiation caused by the fire.

The deceased, along with another labourer, had been living in the makeshift tent near a DDA plot on Manglam Road while working with Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL), police said.

The fire is suspected to have started from a small container of diesel, which was placed on a cooler stand and used as a light source inside the tent. Nitin, the lone survivor, told police that around 2 am, Shyam Singh woke up to find the tent ablaze. He tried to unlock the door but failed. As the fire intensified, Nitin managed to escape, but the other three were trapped and succumbed to the flames.

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A gas cylinder inside the tent also exploded, further fuelling the fire, officials said.

Authorities suspect the diesel container may have triggered the blaze, but an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause.

The victims’ bodies have been sent for post-mortem, and police have recorded statements from Nitin and Rampal, the father of Shyam Singh and Kanta Prasad.

(With inputs from PTI)