5 kids among 6 killed as massive fire tears through Meerut house; short circuit suspected

Meerut (UP): Six people, including five children, were killed and a woman was injured after a fire, suspected to have been triggered by a short circuit, broke out at a house in the Lisadi Gate area here, police said on Tuesday. “The incident occurred at Kidwai Nagar around 8 pm on Monday. Seven people were admitted to the civil hospital with burn injuries. The doctors later declared six of them dead,” Meerut SP Avinash Pandey told reporters at the hospital. Information about the blaze at the residence of Iqbal Ahmad was received at 8:49 pm, following which police and fire brigade teams rushed to the spot and brought the flames under control, the officer said.

According to police, tailoring work was done at the house, for which a large quantity of cloth was stored there, which caused the flames to spread rapidly. Prima facie, a short circuit is suspected to have triggered the fire, police said, adding that a detailed probe is underway. The deceased have been identified as Rukhsar (25), Mahbish (12), Hammad (4), Akdas (4), Nabia (4 months) and Inayat (4 months), all residents of Gali No. 3 near the Surahi Wali Masjid in Kidwai Nagar, police said. The injured woman, Ameer Bano (55), is undergoing treatment, the SP said.