Four children charred to death in fire in Gurugram

Gurugram: Three minor siblings and their cousin were charred to death after a fire broke out at their house here while they were sleeping last night.

The children’s father, Kripal, and mother suffered burns and were able to save their 17-day-old infant. The deceased have been identified Rohit (3), Mohit (6), Anju (10), all Kripal’s children, and his sister’s daughter Kusum (13).

Kripal, a native of Badayun in Uttar Pradesh, was staying in the accommodation in a farm here.

The family members were sleeping in the hut when the fire broke out at around 11.30 PM in their hut in Sontash ki Dhani village at Mohammadpur Jharsa.

“We are investigating the cause of fire. Prima facie, it appears a short circuit led to the fire or it could be the kitchen stove which started the blaze,” ACP Manish Sehgal (PRO) Gurgaon Police told PTI.

The couple received 20-30 per cent burns and they were able to rescue their newborn son, Sehgal said, adding Kripal and his wife tried to get help from their neighbors, but by the time they returned, the fire had engulfed the entire hut and all the children died on the spot.

“Some locals doused the fire with water from a tubewell but the children could not be saved,” the ACP said.

Kripal and his wife have been admitted to Safdarjung hospital in Delhi, where they are undergoing treatment.