New Delhi, Mar 13: An LPG cylinder leakage in the kitchen of a popular biryani chain ignited a fire Thursday afternoon, leaving three staff and as many customers injured, a Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official here said.
The fire started from the kitchen of the Bikkgane Biryani at Connaught Place here around 11:30 am and six fire tenders were rushed to the scene to control the blaze.
Restaurant staff Mahindra (25) sustained 81 per cent burn injuries, while Piyush (31) and Deepak (39) have suffered 70 per cent burns, the DFS official said. The three staff were working in the kitchen of the restaurant at the time of the incident.
The fire official said that three customers -- Md Alam (21), Sairuddhin (28) and Janak (26) -- were sitting close to the kitchen and suffered upto 30 per cent burns. The official added that the injured have been taken to RML Hospital for treatment.
The official said they received an alert about the fire around 11:55 am and dispatched six fire tenders. The fire broke out in the kitchen, which is located on the rear side of the restaurant, due to an LPG cylinder leakage, he said.
Restaurant staff and customers were evacuated as firefighters worked to contain the flames. Police also reached the spot. Authorities are assessing whether safety protocols were followed at the restaurant, which has multiple outlets in the country including Delhi, and if there was negligence on part of any staff, a senior police official said.
A shopkeeper said he heard a noise between 11:30 am and 12 pm. "The cries of the workers caught in the fire alerted the police in the area who came rushing following which the injured were sent to the hospital," he added.
Ram Sakal Yadav (55), a tea seller who has a stall nearby, said the fire broke out around 12 pm and he saw the victims being taken out by the rescue team. "I heard noises and saw four people, who were severely burnt, being rescued," he said.
Rakesh, working in another eatery located next to the restaurant, said they became aware of the incident due to police inspection at their place. "The police came to our place as well to inspect if the fire did any damage here too," he said.
(Disclaimer: Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
