Elderly couple killed in fire at Safdarjung Enclave home in Delhi
According to the Delhi Fire Services, the incident was reported at 6.01 am and three fire tenders were rushed to the spot.
Initial investigation suggests that the flames spread through domestic articles. (Express Photo) An elderly couple died after a fire broke out at their home in Southwest Delhi’s Safdarjung Enclave early Wednesday.
The police identified the deceased as Govind Ram Nagpal (80) and his wife Sheela Nagpal (78), who lived on the third floor of a building at B2 Block in Safdarjung Enclave.
The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said the incident was reported at 6.02 am. “Three fire tenders were rushed to the site… The fire spread through domestic articles and two casualties were found,” DFS chief Atul Garg said. He added that the police were informed and the couple was transferred to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced them dead.
“When we entered the house, we found the people in separate rooms. I was told that Sheela Nagpal was bedridden and she could not move out of her room. Her husband was also trapped in another room… Within 10 minutes, the fire was brought under control but there was a lot of smoke inside due to which the two may have choked to death,” DFS Station Officer Vinay Kumar said.
DCP (Southwest) Surendra Choudhary told The Indian Express that while Govind was a retired employee of Kelvinator, Sheela used to work at Vidhya Niketan school. Their son Vineet resides in the US and their daughter in Paschim Vihar.
Choudhary added that crime and forensic science laboratory teams were called in and legal action was initiated under BNSS Section 194 (police to enquire and report on suicide). The bodies have been shifted to a mortuary for postmortem examination.
The Nagpals’ 3 BHK flat was completely gutted. Sarika (46), who stayed on the second floor of the building, said, “The fire was so intense that even our water tank was gutted. The police had to cut off gas supply and electricity wasn’t restored until late in the afternoon.”
Her husband Akash (48) said the Nagpals, who owned their flat, had only recently moved back after renovations were completed at the house about a year ago. “When we moved in 2021, they were living with their daughter. But since the renovation, it was just the two of them.”
“They were old and couldn’t hear properly… One had to knock on their door many times before they opened. We have been tenants here for three years now, but saw uncle only once in the past year or so,” added Sarika.
She further said the couple’s son had arranged for domestic help to care for them. “She came in the morning around 11 and left by 7 pm… Uncle didn’t like anyone staying overnight. They were very private, and rarely interacted with anyone… They weren’t members of the RWA (resident welfare association). They lived quietly, always in their flat.”
Surender Thapar (70), president of the RWA, also said the Nagpals kept to themselves. “They rarely left their apartment due to their age. I heard that the wife was ill, but no one knew much about them… They were on their own.”
A security guard working at a nearby building said, “We didn’t even know anyone lived there. We never saw them. It was only when the fire broke out and the police arrived that we learned someone lived there.”
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