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CR Park family loses home due to callous fire department

Ill-equipped fire unit, which didn't even have torches, reaches the spot over an hour late

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Residents claim they made 18 calls to the fire department some of which went unanswered
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For long, the Delhi Fire Services had been like a second home to the Sen family, with several of its members having been a part of the department. They had never imagined that one day, when they would most require the department's help, they will have to see their entire house go up in flames while waiting for the assistance that would come too late.

House number K-2140 in Chittaranjan Park, belonging to Anju Sen and her husband Amitabh Sen for the last two decades, caught fire. The arrogant and irresponsible attitude of the fire department personnel ensured that absolutely nothing could be salvaged.

Reportedly, the fire broke out in the three-bedroom apartment late on Tuesday night. The family claimed that despite repeated calls to the fire department, nobody turned up for more than an hour.

Recalling the horror, Sens' daughter Akriti Sen Chopra said she heard her mother scream around 11 pm. She and her husband Jovian Chopra then rushed to her mother's room to see flames coming from the split AC. "Our immediate reaction was to switch off the main supply. All of us then rushed out of the house with only our mobile phones in our hands. Within minutes, we could see black smoke coming from the balcony," she said.

The real horror, however, unfolded when Akriti started calling the fire department. "I made around 18 calls. Some went unanswered. The neighbours and other people who had gathered there also made several calls. Finally at 12.08 am, a man answered in a sleepy tone. When I questioned him regarding the delay, he said he was paid to sleep and that I can't do anything against him," Akriti said.

"The irony is that my grandfather worked at the Connaught Place fire station, In fact, my mother got married at the same fire station. We have always respected the profession but what we went through last night was traumatising," she added.

Unable to handle the stress, Akriti fainted. The fire personnel managed to reach the spot at 12.30 am, and shockingly, could be seen asking the colony residents for a torch. The residents got torches from their homes. On being queried why the team was so ill equipped, Chief Fire Officer Vipin Kental said: "All fire units are provided with torches. If someone did not respond to the calls or misbehaved, we will take action."

Clarifying further, the fire department officials said a fire had broken out in the Sunlight Colony, and fire tenders from Nehru Place had been rushed there. "As many as 27 fire tenders were rushed to the Sunlight Colony. Units from Safdarjung and Pancharipuri were sent to CR Park to attend to the call.

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