Woman, 5 kids die as Eid clothes stock catch fire in Meerut house

Meerut: Six people — a woman and five children, died after a fire triggered by a suspected short circuit swept through a house in the Kidwai Nagar area of Lisari Gate in Meerut on Monday night. The deceased were Rukhsar, 28, her three-year-old son Aqdas, six-month-old twin daughters Nabiya and Inayat, Mahwish, 10, daughter of Rukhsar's brother-in-law Farooq, and an eight-year-old son of another relative, Hammad, who was staying in the house.SP (City) Ayush Vikram said the blaze originated in a ground-floor garment warehouse owned by businessman Iqbal Ahmed. "Prima facie, a short circuit in the clothing stock stored on the ground floor caused the fire. The flames spread rapidly due to the large quantity of garments kept for Eid sales," he said.Police said the male members of the family had gone to a nearby mosque for prayers when the fire broke out, while the women were preparing dinner inside. As smoke spread through the building, Rukhsar tried to move the children to safety, but the main exit was cut off by flames.Neighbours said cries for help continued for nearly half an hour as residents gathered outside. Some family members, including Dr Arshad and three children, managed to escape through the terrace and climb onto a neighbouring rooftop. However, Rukhsar and five children remained inside and were overcome by thick smoke. Mohd Tasleem, a resident, said, "The smoke spread very fast. If they had reached the terrace in time, they might have survived, but they collapsed before they could escape."Residents used ladders and water from private sources in an attempt to control the fire and rescue those trapped. Fire brigade teams faced difficulty reaching the spot due to the locality's narrow and congested lanes. The victims were taken to hospital but were declared dead on arrival due to severe burns and smoke inhalation. Police said a detailed investigation was under way to establish the exact sequence of events and examine fire safety arrangements at the premises.