A survivor of the Indore fire tragedy that killed eight family members has accused the fire brigade of arriving too late. Saurabh Pugalia denied police claims of a digital lock trapping victims. The mayor countered with a 17-minute response time record.
On March 17, a fire broke out late at night in the house of 60-year-old businessman Manoj Pugalia in Indore's Brajeshwari Annexe Colony, killing eight family members. The victims included Manoj Pugalia, his four-month pregnant daughter-in-law Simran, brother-in-law Vijay Sethia, Sethia's wife Suman, Manoj's son Kartik, daughter Ruchika Jain, and Ruchika's children Rashi and Tanay. Saurabh Pugalia, Manoj's son, escaped with three other family members. Police stated an explosion at the charging point of an electric vehicle parked outside triggered the blaze, which engulfed the entire structure. Saurabh attributed it to sparking from a nearby electric pole. Three bodies were found on the staircase, indicating an attempt to escape via the rooftop. A woman and two children's bodies were near the kitchen, while Simran was on a bed. The 32-year-old survivor met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday at the Jain Shwetambar Terapanthi Auditorium, demanding strict action against the fire brigade. He claimed, “Lives could have been saved if the fire tender had arrived on time. It came nearly an hour late, and even then, the water tank was not full.” Saurabh dismissed reports of a digital lock on the main door, stating, “There was no digital lock. Instead, a normal lock on the rooftop left some family members stranded.” Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav disputed the delay, saying, “As per records, the fire tender’s response time was 17 minutes. The team faced obstacles as a car, three bikes, a scooter, LPG cylinders and AC compressors were already ablaze, and the doors were jammed.” The administration is investigating the incident.
