The death of former top bureaucrat Dhanendra Kumar in Delhi has sparked questions over emergency response times in the national capital.
Kumar, the first chairman of Competition Commission of India (CCI), died after a suspected AC blast triggered a fire at his Hauz Khas home.
Fire tenders reached the spot nearly 50 minutes after the blaze broke out, with family members, staff, and neighbours alleging a late arrival.
A neighbour recalled desperate attempts to control the fire before firefighters arrived, with residents using pipes, buckets, and water due to the lack of nearby fire extinguishers.
The resident expressed frustration over the delay, saying, '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.'
Police said Kumar was found unconscious in a washroom due to suspected smoke inhalation and had no burn injuries. He was taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre, where he died the next morning.
