New Delhi [India], March 16 : A two-and-a-half-year-old girl died due to suspected gas leakage at a residence in Ashirwad Apartment of Mayur Vihar Phase-3 under the jurisdiction of Ghazipur police station in East Delhi, police said. The elder sister of the deceased child also fell unconscious but remains stable as of now.
According to Delhi Police, a PCR call was received around 2:19 PM on Sunday regarding a suspected chemical smell from a flat where two children had reportedly fallen unconscious in the presence of their mother. Both children were rushed to Metro Hospital in Sector-11, Noida. Doctors declared Sanna Khatun (2.5) brought dead, while her sister Rafia Khatun (7.5) was found stable and safe, police stated.
Police teams reached the hospital and the spot soon after receiving the information. The Crime Team and District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) team inspected the premises but did not find any immediate signs of foul play.
A chemical expert from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Rohini, was called to examine the premises for any possible chemical substance leakage. Inquest proceedings have been initiated, and further investigation is underway, Delhi Police said.
Speaking to ANI, Rahid, father of the deceased child, said there was a lot of smell due to gas inside the house, and both of his daughters fell unconscious and fainted.
"There was a lot of smell due to gas inside the house. Both my daughters went unconscious and fainted. While I was on the way to take my younger daughter to the hospital, she could not survive. After the investigation, it was found that there was a leakage in the gas near the regulator. Police and Forensic teams reached here, and they carried out an investigation," Rahid said.
According to the mother, the two children were playing together when they fell over each other. Their father, who works as a tailor, was at his shop at the time of the incident.
"She was playing here in the room with my elder daughter. Suddenly, they fell, and there was a foul smell after that. We took both of them out of the room. We went to the hospital. She was 2.5 years old," the mother said.
Further investigation is underway.