Bulandshahr: Four days after a massive fire engulfed a grocery shop-cum-house in Khekra town of Baghpat district, shopkeeper Ankur Jain succumbed to burn injuries at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital Monday, taking the toll to four, circle officer Rohan Chaurasia said.
Ankur suffered around 60% burns while trying to rescue his wife and daughter from the burning building, police said. His last rites were performed in Khekra.
Ankur’s wife, Swati Jain (38) and their four-year-old daughter, Anya, died the day of the fire. Kapil (22), a passerby who rushed to rescue the family and help douse the flames, died during treatment the following day. More than 10 people, including Ankur and neighbours who tried to save the family, suffered burns.
He said he would write to the chief minister seeking financial assistance for the family. Two LPG cylinders exploded as the fire intensified, hampering rescue efforts. Several were referred to Delhi for treatment. RLD MP Rajkumar Sangwan visited the family and met Ankur’s father, Vinay Jain.
The tragedy has left the couple’s 15-year-old son, Shrey, without his parents and younger sister. The fire broke out around 7.30 am on Oct 8 in the grocery shop on the ground floor of the building in Khekra’s main market. Their bodies were recovered after nearly 90 minutes of firefighting and rescue operations.
Relatives said the teenager was not informed about his mother and sister’s death while his father was undergoing treatment. Whenever he asked about them, he was told they were being treated at another hospital. It quickly spread to the residential floors above, trapping Swati and Anya.