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🇮🇳 India /Disasters & Emergencies

Ex-CCI chief's death in Delhi draws focus over ‘late arrival’ of fire team; neighbour recalls what happened

From Hindustan Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Dhanendra Kumar, former chairman of the Competition Commission of India, died after a fire at his Delhi home, suspected to be caused by an AC blast.
  • Questions have arisen regarding the fire department's response time, with allegations that tenders arrived nearly 50 minutes after the blaze began.
  • Neighbors described efforts to combat the fire with available resources while awaiting professional help, highlighting concerns about emergency infrastructure.

The death of Dhanendra Kumar, the first chairman of the Competition Commission of India, following a fire at his Hauz Khas residence has ignited serious questions about emergency response times in Delhi. Kumar, 79, passed away on Thursday after a suspected air conditioner explosion triggered a fire in his home the previous night.

We don’t know whether their arrival on time would have saved Kumar sir, but they did arrive very late.

— Abhishek, a staff at the residenceExpressing concern over the delayed arrival of fire tenders.

Family members, staff, and neighbors have alleged that fire tenders arrived at the scene nearly 50 minutes after the fire broke out. "We don’t know whether their arrival on time would have saved Kumar sir, but they did arrive very late," Abhishek, a staff member at the residence, told the Hindustan Times.

So all of us were trying to put out the fire using pipes, buckets, and water. But what happened was, there was no fire extinguisher.

— A neighborDescribing the efforts to fight the fire before the fire brigade arrived.

Neighbors recounted their desperate attempts to control the blaze using water from pipes and buckets, as no fire extinguishers were readily available. "So all of us were trying to put out the fire using pipes, buckets, and water. But what happened was, there was no fire extinguisher," a neighbor told PTI. She added that despite the area being well-developed, the delay in help for such a prominent figure raised concerns about the fate of ordinary citizens.

This is not a slum area, the lanes here are proper. Uncle has held such a prominent post, yet it took so much time for help to reach him. Then what would happen to an ordinary person in this overpopulated country?

— A neighborHighlighting the perceived inadequacy of emergency services for a prominent individual.

The resident further expressed frustration with the country's emergency infrastructure, stating, "I can’t say everything, but our country’s system is broken, everyone knows that. There’s no point denying it. We are taxpayers and all that, but still the fire brigade takes time to arrive." Police confirmed that the fire was brought under control with the help of residents and police personnel. Kumar was found unconscious in a washroom, reportedly due to smoke inhalation, and had no visible burn injuries.

I can’t say everything, but our country’s system is broken, everyone knows that. There’s no point denying it. We are taxpayers and all that, but still the fire brigade takes time to arrive.

— A residentCritiquing the country's emergency response system.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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