Ghaziabad (UP), March 6 A couple died from burn injuries on Friday, three days after a fire broke out in a five-story residential building in the Sangam Vihar area here, police said.
The victims, identified as Rajendra Prasad (54) and his wife Meenu Prasad (52), were among the 22 people rushed to hospitals in Delhi following the incident. While 15 victims were discharged the next day, the couple died during treatment.
The fire reportedly started due to a short circuit in the electrical panel located in the building's parking area. Residents of around 40 apartments were trapped as thick smoke filled the premises, and it took firefighters nearly three hours to bring the blaze under control.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Trans Hindon) Nimish Patil said that around 50 firefighters worked to rescue the occupants. The couple's children, Neetu and Deepak, remain under treatment at Delhi's Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital.
According to the police, the intense heat caused the doors of several apartments to jam, forcing rescuers to break them open to rescue those trapped inside.
The fire destroyed more than 42 vehicles in the parking areas. The proximity of the fire to the main exit had made escape difficult for those trapped as smoke engulfed the building, they said.