Three die as CNG car goes up in flames

Three members of a family, including two children, were killed when their CNG car caught fire due to a short circuit in north-east Delhi’s GTB Enclave area on Tuesday. Three others were lucky to escape unhurt.

The deceased have been identified as 25-year-old Shahin, and her nephews Shanib, 14, and Arish, 11, residents of New Seemapuri. According to police, the two children’s parents — Anwar, 35, and Shabnam, 32, and sister Aryia, 2, were also travelling in the Maruti Swift DZire car.

They were going to attend a family function when the car caught fire at 10 pm. “Three fire tenders were rushed to the spot, but Shanib, Arish and Shahin could not be rescued,” a police officer said.

Anwar, Shabnam and Aryia were rescued from beneath the car and taken to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital. “Anwar is critical with 40 per cent burns, while Shabnam and Aryia have 15 per cent burns,” a medical officer at the hospital said.

Police and fire officials suspect the car caught fire due to improper installation of the CNG kit. It has come to light it was refuelled at Tahirpur CNG station just before the accident.