New Delhi, Dec. 1 -- The Delhi Police is trying to trace a man who escaped the four-storey building in south Delhi that was gutted in fire, leading to the death of four people, with investigators suspecting petrol to be the cause behind the blaze, an officer said on Monday
A fire erupted around 6.24 pm on Saturday at the ground-floor of a footwear shop located in a densely populated lane.
Of the four killed, police could identify only two - Satender, 38, the owner of the shop, and his 40-year-old sister, Anita.
On Monday, police said that three friends - Ramdin, Manglo, and Mahender, all residents of Najafgarh - had come to the shop to buy shoes. When the blaze broke out, one of them managed to escape, while two others were trapped and are believed to be the remaining two who died.
"The survivor has not contacted the police or the victims' families till now. Efforts are on to trace him," the officer said.
Investigation suggests the blaze was triggered by the ignition of a petrol can kept in the godown. Flames spread rapidly through large quantities of leather and plastic footwear stored inside.
A woman, Mamta, 40, suffered 25 per cent burns and is undergoing treatment.
On Sunday, crime and forensic teams spent several hours inside the sealed four-storey structure collecting samples of burnt wiring, melted fixtures and footwear remnants. The lane has been barricaded for safety.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.