Fire due to AC short-circuit kills 3 of Faridabad family, pet dog; neighbours save son

Faridabad, Sep 8 (PTI) A couple, their daughter and dog suffocated to death while trying to escape a fire in their building which police say was caused by a short circuit in an AC unit early Monday. Their son was saved by their neighbours who reached the fourth-floor flat through the roof.

Earlier police had said a blast in the AC compressor in the couple's room had led to the fire.

According to police, Sachin Kapoor (51), his wife Rinku Kapoor (48), and their daughter Sujjain (13) died of asphyxiation in the fire at Green Field Colony's B Block.

The couple's elder son, Aryan Kapoor (24), who survived, sustained fractures to his legs and is undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital.

Sachin, a native of Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, had been living in Faridabad for nearly 25 years and was engaged in share trading. The family had shifted to Green Field Colony five years ago and rented the second floor of the building, police said.

He had set up his office on the third floor of the building, while Rakesh Malik and his wife Ritu Malik along with their son lived on the first floor. The building's fourth floor was rented to Rajat Goyal's family.

Ritu said she woke up around 3.15 am to find the AC unit outdoors on fire. Within minutes, the blaze spread to the second floor where the Kapoors lived.

She said Sachin tried to escape with his wife and daughter but they were trapped as the terrace door was locked.

"There was smoke all around and they suffocated near the stairs. Vimlesh and his son Mayank, who live in the neighbouring building, tried to extinguish the fire by pouring water from a bucket," she added.

"When they were unable to contain the fire, Mayank went to Sachin's building via the roof. He broke the gate, which let out the smoke and then took Aryan out via the roof. Aryan fractured his due to the glass piercing him," she further said.

When police, along with fire department personnel and locals reached to rescue the couple and their daughter, the three were found unconscious on the stairs.

The taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared them brought dead. The Green Field police post team also evacuated Rajat Goyal's family from the fourth floor through the roof.

Ritu Malik alleged that the fire was caused due to faulty wiring. She said that she shifted to this building around five years ago.

"Since then, there has been a problem with the wiring. Before buying the flat, I had asked the builder, Rakesh Yadav, to change the wiring but he did not pay attention," she alleged.

Green Field police post in-charge Kriparam said, "We have handed over the bodies to family after a postmortem. The matter is being investigated. Preliminary investigation suggests that fire was caused due to a short circuit in the AC." PTI COR OZ OZ