NEW DELHI: The Tughlakabad building fire left behind stories of loss. One among them is 28-year-old Pankaj, who died while trying to save his family.
His neighbours said Pankaj was rescued from the burning structure, but he kept asking for his family members. Moments later he ran back into the building to save his family trapped inside. He didn’t make it.
Pankaj was the sole breadwinner of his family and used to run a mobile phone repair shop in Harkesh Nagar. He had purchased the flat two years ago and was living with his mother, two sisters and maternal grandmother.
His grandmother Sushila Devi and sister Soni also died in the fire. His mother Guddi Devi and younger sister Mani remain critically injured. His father had died two years ago due to cancer. Pankaj’s uncle Suresh Chand Pandey said that Pankaj always wanted to own a house, this was his happy place.
Soni worked in a private firm, while Mani was pursuing a course. Pandey said, Pankaj wanted to see both his sisters become independent. “I spoke to him last night, and a few hours later we lost him forever,” his other uncle Bambam Jha said.
A local said that as soon as the fire was controlled, they entered the building looking for survivors, where they found Pankaj on the ground floor in a semi-conscious condition and rushed him outside.
“He kept asking about his mother and sisters. Before anyone could stop him, he ran back into the building to save them. Pankaj managed to climb back inside and reached the upper floors before the thick smoke overwhelmed him, and he succumbed,” he added.