Overview
- The fire began late Wednesday night after an indoor air‑conditioning unit reportedly exploded, neighbours and police said, and residents and PCR teams pulled 80‑year‑old Dhanendra Kumar and his son from the smoke-filled house.
- Both men were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre where Kumar succumbed to smoke inhalation the next morning and his son was treated for smoke exposure and injuries and is reported to be out of danger.
- Delhi Police registered a case under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 106 and 287 to probe death by negligence and negligent conduct regarding fire while forensic teams and electrical inspectors continue technical examinations of the AC unit and wiring.
- Family members and staff have alleged a long delay in the fire brigade’s arrival of roughly 50 minutes to an hour, a claim that contrasts with official statements that police and two fire tenders responded after a PCR call.
- The death has focused attention on household appliance safety, the role of manufacturers and service technicians in blast investigations, and questions about urban fire‑service capacity and emergency response times.