Siblings studying by candlelight sustain burns, 2 critical


Four siblings studying by candlelight received burn injuries after a fire broke out in their house here, police said on Monday. While two have been discharged, the other two are in a hospital’s intensive care unit.

The incident occurred around 9.15 p.m. on Sunday in south Delhi’s Badarpur area, police said.

Ashu and Lucky and their sisters Rakhi and Deepali, all aged between eight and 13 years, were studying when a power cut forced to light a candle on top of a cooler, Deputy Commissioner of Police Chinmoy Biswal said.

The cooler, which had a plastic body, caught fire which soon spread to the entire room.

“The victims were rescued by a neighbour who informed police. They were taken to a hospital where Ashu and Lucky were discharged after treatment while Rakhi and Deepali who received over 30 per cent burn injuries are still in ICU,” Biswal said.

The children’s parents, who work as a domestic help and driver, were out at the time of the incident.