GURGAON: A 70-year-old Woman tied to her bed after a Hip fracture was charred Death in a Fire which broke out in her tea shop in a grain wholesaler market In Sohna early Saturday.
Kasturi, who remained alone in the shop, suffered 90% burns and was already dead when she was taken to the Civil HospitalAs a widow, she had often refused her family’s requests to return home and ran the tea stall to earn a living.
Fire department Officials said they were trying to find out what caused the fire, but other shopkeepers in the area claimed they heard two loud explosions 15 minutes apart, possibly caused by gas cylinders in Kasturi’s shop.
The fire broke out around 1 a.m. Two fire engines extinguished the flames after about 40 minutes.
“We were awakened by the sound of an explosion. After about 15 minutes, there was another one. When we rushed out of the house, we found the tea shop in flames, which had spread quickly. We informed the police and fire department,” said Rohtash Saini, a shopkeeper at the market.
By the time the two fire engines arrived, the shop was largely destroyed. However, the flames did not spread to other shops in the two-storey building in the Mandi.
“After the flames were extinguished, we found Kasturi lying on the ground, charred beyond recognition. It looks like the explosions were caused by two cylinders. Fortunately, they were not strong enough to break the roof. Otherwise, the consequences could have been devastating,” said Saini.
Kasturi, said Saini, is bedridden for five days after she fell to the ground and broke her hip. Local shopkeepers have been caring for her, providing her with food, water and medicine.
Deputy fire officer Jaibir Bhardana, who led the firefighting team, said the cause of the fire was still unclear. “We have launched an investigation. But by the time we arrived, the tea shop was already completely destroyed. We were able to contain the spread of the flames,” he added.
Kasturi’s charred remains were handed over to her family after an autopsy on Saturday.
