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The death of a former top bureaucrat in Delhi has led to furious questions over emergency response times in the national capital.

Dhanendra Kumar dies after suspected AC unit blast triggers fire at Hauz Khas home (HT file)Dhanendra Kumar, the first chairman of Competition Commission of India (CCI), died on Thursday after a suspected AC blast triggered a fire at his Hauz Khas home the night before. Fire tenders reached the spot nearly 50 minutes after the blaze broke out, family members, staff and neighbours alleged.

“We don’t know whether their arrival on time would have saved Kumar sir, but they did arrive very late,” Abhishek, a staff at the residence, told HT.

The fire broke out around 11 pm at the family’s house in Hauz Khas Enclave. Police said the preliminary inquiry suggests the blaze started after a blast in the indoor unit of an air-conditioner installed in the room of Kumar’s son, Gourav.

Residents in the neighbourhood described desperate attempts to control the fire before firefighters arrived. A neighbour said people tried using pipes, buckets and water because no fire extinguishers were available nearby.

“So all of us were trying to put out the fire using pipes, buckets, and water. But what happened was, there was no fire extinguisher. I even wrote that a fire extinguisher was needed at the police station, because such a fire cannot be controlled with just an extinguisher the fire brigade would have to come,” she told PTI.

“This is not a slum area, the lanes here are proper. Uncle has held such a prominent post, yet it took so much time for help to reach him. Then what would happen to an ordinary person in this overpopulated country?” the neighbour said.

The resident added that messages were circulated in the local RWA group seeking fire extinguishers while residents tried to contain the blaze. “We know that in this country it takes time for the fire brigade to arrive. No matter what you do, it takes time because our infrastructure is not adequate,” she told PTI.

“I can’t say everything, but our country’s system is broken, everyone knows that. There’s no point denying it. We are taxpayers and all that, but still the fire brigade takes time to arrive.”

Deputy commissioner of police (south) Anant Mittal said police and emergency personnel rushed to the spot after receiving a PCR call. “The blaze was brought under control with the help of residents and police personnel,” he told HT.

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The 79-year-old was at home with his wife, son and two domestic help staff when the fire broke out. Police said he was found unconscious in a washroom due to suspected smoke inhalation and had no burn injuries.

He was taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre along with his son Gourav, who also was exposed to smoke. Kumar died on Thursday morning allegedy of inhaling too much smoke. Gourav is reportedly out of danger.

Kumar’s manager said the fire spread rapidly after the AC unit exploded in Gourav’s room.

“Kumar sir was in the washroom when the fire broke out. Gourav first helped his wheelchair-bound mother get out of the house. He then went back inside with two domestic helps to search for his father, but by then he had collapsed in the washroom,” Sejwal said.

The three eventually pulled Kumar out of the house, but he was unconscious, he added. Police inspected the house and said no foul play is suspected. The exact cause of the fire will be determined after an electrical inspection.