Former Chairman of the Festival Fee of India (CCI) and retired IAS officer Dhanendra Kumar died overdue Wednesday evening after a hearth, suspected to had been brought about via an air-conditioner malfunction, broke out at his place of abode in Hauz Khas, South Delhi, officers mentioned.
His son, Gaurav Kumar, sustained accidents within the incident and is recently present process remedy at AIIMS Trauma Centre. Members of the family and home body of workers had been additionally found in the home on the time of the fireplace.
In line with the Delhi Police, the incident came about round 11:18 pm on the ground-plus-two-storey place of abode in Hauz Khas. A Police Keep an eye on Room name used to be won in a while after the fireplace broke out, prompting groups from the Delhi Fireplace Products and services and police to hurry to the spot.
Initial findings recommend that the fireplace originated within the indoor unit of an air conditioner, most likely because of a brief circuit. The blaze hastily unfold thru the home, filling it with thick smoke and making evacuation tough.
Two hearth tenders, together with a water bowser, had been deployed to the website online. Firefighters and police staff performed rescue operations, managing to evacuate 5 people from the place of abode, together with Dhanendra Kumar, his son, his spouse, and two home body of workers individuals.
Officers mentioned Kumar and his son had been instantly shifted to AIIMS Trauma Centre. Whilst Gaurav Kumar’s situation is said to be solid, Dhanendra Kumar succumbed to smoke inhalation throughout remedy, in keeping with Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Anant Mittal.
“The fireplace originated within the AC unit, and Dhanendra Kumar succumbed to smoke inhalation throughout remedy,” Mittal mentioned.
The blaze used to be introduced below keep watch over via roughly 12:20 am. Officers showed that home items at the floor flooring and wood fittings at the higher flooring had been broken.
Eyewitnesses and neighbours reported listening to a noisy sound ahead of smoke hastily engulfed the home. Some citizens assisted in early rescue efforts ahead of emergency products and services arrived. On the other hand, questions had been later raised within the locality referring to reaction time, with some citizens alleging delays in emergency products and services attaining the website online, although those claims weren’t formally showed.
A neighbour mentioned that citizens tried to keep watch over the fireplace the usage of water pipes and buckets, and likewise sought the aid of the close by police station for a hearth extinguisher ahead of hearth tenders arrived.
In the meantime, a home body of workers member provide throughout the incident said that the fireplace started within the air conditioner and unfold temporarily because of a suspected electric fault. He mentioned the rapid precedence used to be evacuating members of the family, together with Kumar’s spouse, who used to be wheelchair-bound.
A forensic crew and crime unit have inspected the website online, and {an electrical} overview is underway to decide the precise reason for the blaze. Police officers said that eyewitness accounts had been recorded and that no foul play is suspected at this degree.
Kumar, a 1968-batch IAS officer of the Haryana cadre, had a outstanding administrative profession spanning a number of many years. He served in key positions within the Haryana executive, together with Foremost Secretary to the Leader Minister, and later held senior posts in quite a lot of Union ministries comparable to Defence Manufacturing, Highway Shipping and Highways, and Tradition.
He retired in 2005 as Secretary within the Division of Defence Manufacturing and went directly to function Govt Director representing India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan on the Global Financial institution from 2005 to 2009.
In 2009, he become the primary Chairman of the CCI, the place he performed a foundational function in strengthening India’s festival regulation framework. Submit-retirement, he remained lively in coverage and advisory roles, together with founding Festival Advisory Products and services India LLP and contributing to the Indian Institute of Company Affairs.
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