Elderly woman, minor grandson, pet dog die as fire ravages house-cum-hosiery godown in Ludhiana

Police identified the deceased as Sudha Rani, in her 70s, and her 17-year-old grandson, Garv Chopra.

Police said siblings Rajat and Rajan Chopra were residing in the multi-storey building with their parents, wives and children. Of the nine family members, two died in the incident. Rajan lost his son Garv, police said.

Division Number 5 police station SHO Inspector Bikramjit Singh said, “At the ground floor of the multi-storey building, the family had a hosiery godown, storing thread, wool and other fabrics, and they would live on upper floors. All gutted.”

The officer said, “Sudha Rani, a wheelchair-bound paralytic person, was rushed to the Civil Hospital but could not be saved. At the same time, her grandson died during the treatment at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH).”

Police suspect that a short circuit could have led to the fire. “But nothing can be said with certainty, because the priority was to put out the raging fire,” the inspector said. “We will also probe whether the family had the required permit to operate the hosiery godown in the residential area.”

Assistant Divisional Fire Officer (ADFO) Jaswinder Singh Bhangu said, upon answering a distress call at 8.57 am, that a massive fire engulfed a residential building in Petrol Pump Street of Bharat Nagar Chowk, firefighters were rushed to the spot.” “A team of 16 firefighters carried out the operation and extinguished the fire by 1 pm or so. They also ensured the flames did not reach neighbouring houses,” the ADFO said.

“The building had a godown on the ground floor, where hosiery and other material were stored. The family also used to do some packing business. It is a part of the investigation into how the fire broke out,” The ADFO said.

The ADFO said, “Other members of the family ran out of the house, but the elderly woman got trapped inside the house as she could not walk. She was rescued and sent to the hospital, but did not survive. The young boy was sleeping on the second floor. He, too, was rushed to the hospital. The dog was found dead on the first floor.”

Rajat Chopra, one of the siblings, said, “The fire broke out suddenly, and family members panicked. Hardly anything was visible due to dense smoke.”

Inspector Bikramjit Singh said that they would record statements of family members for further probe.

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