New Delhi, July 5 -- A 26-year-old UPSC aspirant died of asphyxiation after being trapped in a lift during a major fire at a retail store in Delhi's Karol Bagh on Friday evening. The victim, identified as Dhirendra Pratap Singh, was found dead inside the elevator nearly eight hours after the fire broke out.

Just before his death, Dhirendra sent a desperate message to his brother on WhatsApp, saying, "Bhaiya, I'm stuck in the lift...I can't breathe... please save me." He also made calls pleading for help, but was not rescued in time.

His body was recovered from the lift at around 2:30 am by rescue teams.

Dhirendra, a native of Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh, had been living in a PG accommodation in Karol Bagh and was preparing for the UPSC Ci...