2 die in Pitampura scrap godown fire; probe under way

At least two persons died and three others suffered burn injuries on Tuesday when a fire broke out in a tin shed godown in Pitampura village, outer Delhi, where scrap cardboard and cartons were stored, according to police.

“Six fire tenders were sent to the spot. The fire spread quickly because of a large amount of highly flammable material,” a police officer said.

Five people were rescued and taken to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial (BJRM) Hospital in Jahangirpuri. Two of them, Biresh Kumar, 28, and Satish Kumar, 35, were declared dead on arrival. The other three are being treated, the officer said.

All five victims are from Nalanda district in Bihar and lived in tin sheds at the site. They dealt with the sale and purchase of scrap cardboard and cartons. Police suspect combustible scrap material stored inside the sheds as the cause of the fire. A crime and a forensic team inspected the spot, and the exact cause of the fire is under probe, the officer added.