Two Dead in Raghubir Nagar Fire After Suspected E-Rickshaw Battery Blast

Two people, including a 17-year-old boy, died on Monday morning after a fire broke out at a residential building in west Delhi's Raghubir Nagar. The blaze began around 4:40 am, and officials suspect that an e-rickshaw battery being charged inside the premises exploded.

The victims have been identified as Mohammad Sufed, 17, and his uncle Mohammad Sahmad, 38, both originally from Bhagalpur in Bihar. Both worked as e-rickshaw drivers.

The Delhi Fire Services received an emergency call at 4:42 am reporting a blaze on the first floor of the four-storey residential building. Three water tenders and a water bowser were dispatched to the location, taking around 40 minutes to bring the fire under control.

Sufed and Sahmad were pulled from the building and rushed to Guru Gobind Singh Hospital, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.

According to preliminary findings by fire officials, the fire started after a portable e-rickshaw battery being charged on the ground floor of the building exploded. Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Hareshwar Swami stated that the victims had been charging portable batteries at the rented property and confirmed that a detailed inquiry is currently underway to determine the exact cause of the incident.

Police said Sahmad lived in the rented accommodation with Sufed and Sufed's father, Mohammad Naseeb. Naseeb is also an e-rickshaw driver, and all three men regularly charged their vehicle batteries at the house.

Family members pointed to negligence regarding the building's usage. Sahmad’s brother, Mohammed Rehman, alleged that the property owner had been running an illegal godown on the ground floor where at least 20 batteries were on charge at the time.

Neighbours reported hearing the victims calling for help but were unable to enter the building due to the intense heat before firefighters arrived.