Nine hurt as leaking cylinder catches fire

Flames erupt when teen lights match, two fire tenders rushed

Nine members of a family suffered minor burns in a fire triggered by LPG cylinder leak at a house in north-east Delhi’s Gokulpuri on Saturday.

The incident took place at rented accommodation of 46-year-old Mohammad Akram in New Mustafabad around 7.30 am.

“Two fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the fire was doused within half an hour,” a fire officer said.

The injured were taken to Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital and Lal Bahadur Shashtri Hospital.
They were identified as Akram, his wife Akhlima Begum, 40, and their children Salim, 19, Sana, 14, Afroz,18, Aayan, 7, Parvez, 23, Shakir, 15, and Aafan, 6. Akram works as a supplier of bakery.

A police officer added that initial investigation has found that the fire was caused due to leakage of gas.

“Akram’s daughter Afroz apparently did not realise that there was a seepage and turned on the gas burner to cook food in the morning. As soon as she lit a matchstick, the house caught fire,” the officer said.

Akram’s five-year-old son Zaid was not at home when the incident occurred.
Police have seized the cylinder and lodged a case against unknown persons.

Charges are of negligent conduct with respect to combustible matter and causing hurt under sections 285 and 337 of the Indian Penal Code.
DH News Service