First CCI chairman Dhanendra Kumar dies in AC blast fire at Delhi home
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "First CCI chairman Dhanendra Kumar dies in AC blast fire at Delhi home")
Dhanendra Kumar Photograph: (Wikimedia Commons)
Former CCI chairman and retired IAS officer Dhanendra Kumar died of smoke inhalation after a suspected AC blast triggered a fire at his Delhi home. His son was injured.
Dhanendra Kumar, a retired IAS officer and the first chairman of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), died after a fire broke out at his residence in Delhi’s Hauz Khas area, police said on Thursday (May 28). The 80-year-old had also served as Executive Director at the World Bank. According to the preliminary investigation, the blaze may have been triggered by a blast in the indoor unit of an air conditioner installed in the house.
According to police, at the time of the incident, five people were present inside the residence, including Kumar, his wife, son, and two domestic workers. His son was also injured in the incident and is undergoing treatment.
“At 11.18 pm Wednesday, a PCR call regarding a fire at House No. R-15, Hauz Khas was received at the Hauz Khas police station. Police and the Fire Service responded immediately. Two fire tenders extinguished the blaze,” DCP (South) Anant Mittal said.
According to Delhi Fire Service officials, the blaze started from the indoor unit of an air conditioner on the ground floor of the three-storey residence. The fire quickly spread to wooden items stored nearby and later reached the window panes on the first floor. Two fire tenders were deployed to control the blaze.
DCP Mittal said, “Two persons were shifted to hospital, including Dhanender Kumar, 80, a retired IAS officer. He succumbed to smoke inhalation during treatment at the AIIMS Trauma Centre. His son is under treatment and is stated to be out of danger.”
Officials were looking into possible causes for the AC blast, including short-circuit and overheating.
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“Running an AC for long hours at minimum temperatures like 18 degrees celsius consumes a lot of energy, and can lead to the unit overheating. What could have been the issue in this case will be clear once the electrical inspectors send a report,” a police officer said.
