A family of three was found dead after a fire swept through their one-bedroom flat at the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) residential quarters in Majlis Park, north Delhi, in the early hours of Tuesday.

Victims found inside locked bedroom

The deceased were identified as Ajay Vimal (44), an assistant section engineer with DMRC, his wife Neelam (43), and their nine-year-old daughter Janvi. All three were found inside their fifth-floor apartment, with the bedroom door locked from the inside.

Neighbours said they were woken around 2.30 am by the sound of glass shattering. Smoke was seen billowing from the flat above, prompting residents to rush upstairs. Unable to enter due to the locked door, they alerted police and fire services.

Suspected suffocation during sleep

Firefighters had to cut open the iron gate, safety net and wooden door to access the flat. Police said the bodies were found in sleeping positions, with no signs of struggle, indicating that the family may have suffocated in their sleep due to toxic smoke.

Officials suspect a room heater blower may have emitted smoke, causing suffocation before possibly exploding. Several electrical appliances, including an air conditioner, television and ceiling fan, were found melted, making it difficult to identify the exact source of the fire.

Interestingly, the fire was confined to the bedroom and did not spread to other parts of the flat. Police said the society’s in-house firefighting system functioned during the incident.

Fire brought under control

Five fire engines and around 25 firefighters were rushed to the spot after a call was received at Adarsh Nagar police station at 2.39 am. The blaze was brought under control by 3.30 am. A DMRC official said the fire was also contained using a water pipe from the opposite building.

Family background and probe

Ajay Vimal, who was posted at Barakhamba Metro Station, had been working with DMRC since 2006 and had lived in the Majlis Park staff quarters since 2016. His daughter Janvi was a Class 4 student at Queen Mary’s School. The family hailed from Ujjain, with roots in Uttar Pradesh.

Relatives described them as a close-knit and happy family. Police have registered an FIR and are investigating the incident jointly with the fire department.