West Delhi Fire: 2 E-Rickshaw Drivers, Including 17-Year-Old Boy, Killed After Battery Blast In Raghubir Nagar

A fire killed two e-rickshaw drivers, including a 17-year-old boy, early Monday morning in Raghubir Nagar, West Delhi. Officials said a portable e-battery exploded while charging.

The deceased are Mohammad Sufed, 17, and his uncle Mohammad Sahmad, 38. Both hailed from Bhagalpur, Bihar, and worked as e-rickshaw drivers. They lived in a rented four-storey building with Sahmad’s brother, Mohammad Naseeb, who also drives an e-rickshaw.

Delhi Fire Services received a call about the blaze on the first floor around 4:42 AM. Three water tenders and a water bowser reached the spot and doused the flames in about 40 minutes.

Rescue teams found the victims inside and rushed them to Guru Gobind Singh Hospital. Doctors declared both dead on arrival.

A preliminary investigation found that a portable e-rickshaw battery exploded on the ground floor and started the fire. DCP West Hareshwar Swami said, “Prima facie, the two victims were e-rickshaw drivers and charged portable e-rickshaw batteries at the rented premises.” He added that police are ascertaining the exact cause and have launched a detailed inquiry.

Neighbours heard the boy cry for help. “The fire department took about 15 minutes to reach. We heard the boy shouting for help but could not save him,” said Mohammed Rehan.

The victims’ family blamed the building owner for negligence. Sahmad’s brother Mohammed Rehman alleged that the owner ran an illegal godown on the ground floor for years and charged at least 20 e-batteries there daily. “His negligence killed my family members,” Rehman said.

Police said investigators are still determining the exact sequence of events.