Meerut: Six people, including five children, were killed and a woman was injured after a massive fire broke out at a house in the Lisadi Gate area here, police said Tuesday.
It is suspected that an electrical short circuit triggered the blaze, they said, adding that the family members have given in writing that they don’t want a post-mortem of the bodies.
The deceased have been identified as Rukhsar (25), Mahbish (12), Hammad (4), Akdas (4), Nabia (4 months) and Inayat (4 months), all residents of Gali No. 3 near the Surahi Wali Masjid in Kidwai Nagar, police said.
The injured woman, Ameer Bano (55), is undergoing treatment, they said.
The incident occurred at Kidwai Nagar around 8 pm Monday. Seven people were admitted to the civil hospital with burn injuries, of which six died, Meerut SSP Avinash Pandey told reporters at the hospital.
A Dial 112 response vehicle was rushed to the spot within three minutes of receiving information about the blaze, followed by fire tenders, Pandey said.
The narrow lanes in the locality posed a major challenge for the firefighters, prompting them to deploy motorcycles to navigate the congested area, the SSP said.
A local resident also assisted in the rescue efforts by placing a ladder to help evacuate those trapped inside the house, the officer said.
The biggest challenge was to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to the adjoining areas, Pandey said.
The blaze at the residence of Iqbal Ahmad was reported at 849 pm Monday.
According to police, tailoring and online garment business activities were being carried out at the house, for which a large quantity of cloth was stored there, causing the flames to spread rapidly.
Prima facie, a short circuit is suspected to have triggered the fire, police said, adding that a detailed probe is underway.
District Magistrate V K Singh, who visited the spot, described the incident as heart-rending and extremely unfortunate.
He said a detailed inquiry has been ordered, and prima facie it appears that an electrical fault in a machine or appliance may have sparked the blaze.
Officials from the electricity department have been sent to the site, and their findings will be shared soon, the official said.
He also confirmed that the family opted not to conduct a post-mortem of the bodies and that no demand for government assistance or compensation has been made so far.
Chief Fire Officer Surendra Singh said four fire tenders were pressed into service and, with the help of locals, five people trapped inside the house were rescued.
The flames have been doused. The exact cause of the fire will be clear after a probe, he said.
Mohammad Farooq, a family member, said he had gone to offer namaz when he received a call about the fire.
By the time I came back, a huge crowd had gathered outside the house. The blaze killed my daughter, my son, my younger brother’s twin daughters and his son. My elderly mother survived the fire, though her blood pressure shot up due to shock, Farooq said.
He added that the family has no complaints against anyone, nor did it seek any compensation from authorities.
Another relative said the house had a large stock of garments for an online business, which intensified the blaze.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken cognisance of the fire and expressed his condolences to the bereaved families.
He has directed the concerned officials to reach the spot and expedite the relief measures, an official statement said.
