Delhi fire kills 13-year-old boy in Khyala, woman suffers 35% burns
Synopsis
A suspected electric scooter fire gutted the ground floor of a house in Delhi's Khyala at 2:45 am on Wednesday, killing a 13-year-old boy and leaving a 65-year-old woman with 35 per cent burns — the second residential fire to hit Delhi within 24 hours, raising fresh questions about EV battery safety in densely packed urban homes.
Key Takeaways
Jaspreet , aged 13 , was declared dead on arrival at Guru Govind Hospital , Raghubir Nagar.
Swamjeet Kaur , 65 , sustained 35 per cent burns and is undergoing treatment.
The fire broke out at approximately 2:45 am on Wednesday, 27 May , at a house in Vishnu Garden, Khyala, West Delhi .
Officials suspect an electric scooter parked on the ground floor ignited the blaze, which spread across the entire floor.
A separate fire in Vijay Vihar Phase-2 the previous day was contained without casualties; its cause remains under investigation.
A 13-year-old boy died and a 65-year-old woman sustained serious burn injuries after a fire broke out at a residential house in the Khyala area of West Delhi in the early hours of Wednesday, 27 May. The blaze, which erupted on the ground floor of a house in Vishnu Garden, Khyala, is suspected to have been triggered by an electric scooter parked on the premises.
What Happened
According to the Delhi Fire Services (DFS), a distress call was received at approximately 2:45 am on Wednesday reporting a fire on the ground floor of a house in Vishnu Garden. Fire and relief personnel were immediately dispatched to the scene and launched rescue operations upon arrival.
The deceased has been identified as Jaspreet, aged 13. The injured woman is Swamjeet Kaur, 65, who sustained 35 per cent burns and is currently undergoing treatment. Both victims had been rushed to Guru Govind Hospital in Raghubir Nagar by neighbours before the DFS unit reached the spot. Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Antara declared Jaspreet 'brought dead' upon arrival at the hospital.
Suspected Cause
Officials stated that the fire is suspected to have originated from an electric scooter parked on the ground floor, from where it spread across the entire floor. Electric scooter fires — often linked to lithium-ion battery failures — have been a recurring hazard in densely populated residential areas across Indian cities in recent years. The exact cause is yet to be officially confirmed, and an investigation is underway.
Second Fire Incident in Delhi Within 24 Hours
This incident comes a day after a separate fire broke out in a three-storey house in Vijay Vihar Phase-2 in Delhi on Tuesday morning. The DFS received the alert at around 7:06 am, following which three fire tenders were rushed to the site in Gali No. 5 of Vijay Vihar Phase-2.
In that case, the fire began in the parking area and gradually spread to the upper floors. All residents were safely evacuated by DFS teams. The cause of the Vijay Vihar fire remains unclear, and an enquiry is ongoing, according to officials.
Broader Context
Residential fires in Delhi's densely packed west and north-west neighbourhoods are a persistent concern, particularly during summer months when electrical loads surge. The suspected involvement of an electric scooter battery in the Khyala fire adds to growing scrutiny over EV fire safety standards in India. Authorities have previously flagged substandard battery management systems in low-cost electric two-wheelers as a significant risk factor in urban residential fires.
Point of View
With one fatality, are not outliers — they are symptoms of a structural problem. The suspected electric scooter trigger in Khyala fits a pattern that fire safety regulators have been slow to address: substandard lithium-ion batteries in budget EVs, stored overnight in enclosed ground-floor spaces with no thermal runaway protection. India's EV push has outpaced its fire safety framework, and the gap is now showing up in casualty statistics. The Vijay Vihar fire — cause still unknown — underscores that the risk is not limited to EVs alone. Delhi's ageing housing stock in west and north-west localities, with narrow lanes that delay fire tender access, compounds the danger every summer.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who died in the Khyala house fire in Delhi?
A 13-year-old boy named Jaspreet died in the fire. He was declared 'brought dead' by Chief Medical Officer Dr Antara at Guru Govind Hospital in Raghubir Nagar after being rushed there by neighbours.
What caused the fire in Khyala, West Delhi?
Officials suspect the fire was triggered by an electric scooter parked on the ground floor of the house. The blaze originated there and spread across the entire ground floor. The exact cause is still under investigation.
What is the condition of the injured woman?
Swamjeet Kaur, 65, sustained 35 per cent burns and is currently undergoing treatment at Guru Govind Hospital. She was taken to the hospital by neighbours before Delhi Fire Services personnel arrived at the scene.
When did the Delhi Fire Services receive the distress call?
The Delhi Fire Services received the distress call at approximately 2:45 am on Wednesday, 27 May, regarding the fire at a house in Vishnu Garden, Khyala.
Was there another fire in Delhi around the same time?
Yes. A day earlier, on Tuesday morning, a fire broke out in a three-storey house in Vijay Vihar Phase-2. Three fire tenders were deployed and all residents were safely evacuated. The cause of that fire remains under investigation.
