Blaze at Bikkgane Biryani in Connaught Place injures six

NEW DELHI: A fire broke out in the kitchen of Bikkgane Biryani restaurant in Connaught Place on Thursday afternoon, leaving six people injured due to burns caused by an LPG cylinder leakage.

According to the police, the incident occurred around 11:55 am at the restaurant located in P Block of Connaught Place.

According to Delhi Fire Services (DFS) officials, six fire tenders were rushed to the scene. However, by the time the fire department arrived, the injured individuals had already been taken to Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital for treatment.

The injured have been identified as Deepak (39) and Piyush (31), both with 70 per cent burns, Mahindra (25) with 81 per cent burns, Alarm (21) with 30 per cent burns, Sairuddhin (28) with 20 per cent burns, and Janak (26) with 4 per cent burns.

Authorities believe the fire was triggered by a gas leakage in the kitchen, which led to a sudden ignition.

The severity of burns varies among the victims, with at least three of them Deepak, Piyush, and Mahindra suffering critical injuries. Eyewitnesses reported a sudden explosion followed by flames engulfing the kitchen area. Panic ensued as restaurant staff and customers rushed to evacuate the premises. Local police, along with fire department personnel, worked swiftly to contain the situation.

The investigation has been handed over to Sub-Inspector Jaipal Singh from Connaught Place police station.

Officials are currently assessing the extent of damage and verifying whether there were any safety lapses that contributed to the incident.

LPG-related fires have been a recurring safety concern in commercial kitchens across the city. Experts emphasize the need for regular maintenance and inspections of gas cylinders and pipelines to prevent such hazardous incidents.

Further updates on the condition of the injured individuals and the investigation’s findings are awaited.