Retired IAS Officer Dies in Suspected AC Blast at Delhi Residence
मुख्य बातें
- •A retired IAS officer died in a fire at his Delhi residence on Thursday evening.
- •Police suspect an AC blast as the cause, with forensic teams investigating the appliance.
- •The deceased, Sunil Sharma, served in the IAS for 35 years and retired five years ago.
- •Authorities are examining electrical wiring and appliance safety standards in response to the incident.
A retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer lost his life in a devastating fire that broke out at his residence in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area on Thursday evening. According to preliminary investigations by the Delhi Police, the fire may have been triggered by an explosion in the air conditioning (AC) unit, raising concerns over safety standards in household appliances.
The incident occurred around 6:30 PM at the officer’s second-floor flat in an upscale residential complex. Neighbours reported hearing a loud explosion followed by thick smoke billowing from the apartment. Firefighters from the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) arrived promptly and extinguished the blaze within 45 minutes. However, the officer, identified as 68-year-old Sunil Sharma (name changed for privacy), was found deceased inside the charred apartment by police teams conducting a post-fire search.
Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has registered a case under Section 174 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) for unnatural death and is investigating the cause of the fire. Senior officers stated that the AC unit in the living room showed signs of a possible blast, including burn marks and a ruptured casing. Forensic experts and the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) have been roped in to examine the AC and other potential sources of ignition. The Delhi Electricity Board (DEB) has also been asked to inspect the building’s electrical wiring to rule out any short-circuit-related causes.

