The couple revealed that while they managed to escape safely with their family members and kids, their building’s guard lost his life. In a joint Instagram post, they shared that a fire broke out at their apartment building on Saturday, a day before Diwali. Television actors Divyanka Tripathi and Vivek Dahiya are mourning the death of their building’s security guard, whom they fondly called ‘Dhanpat uncle’.
He was subsequently shifted to Cooper Hospital, where he was declared dead at 2 am. The actors revealed that they had plans to step out that evening, but their departure kept getting delayed. In the post, the couple also shared visuals from their apartment’s window showing flames coming out of another apartment. They were at home when the incident occurred, which allowed them to spot the danger in time and evacuate with their babies, family members and staff. The actors also shared that electricity was gradually restored as Diwali arrived, while the gas supply and lifts were reinstated the following day after safety checks. They added that when their sons are old enough, they will tell them about the kind man who welcomed them home with his blessings. His elderly parents and domestic help were at home when the fire broke out. “When the intensity of the blaze was still low, the domestic worker helped the parents to safety using the lift. The firefighting system in the C wing was operational and we were able to control the fire.”
However, they said normalcy did not return for the residents, as the fire had left a deep emotional impact on them. Remembering the security guard, the couple said his death had left a void in their lives. The assistant fire officer said the flat belonged to Sharad Agarwal who, along with his wife, had left for dinner after performing Diwali puja. “It originated in the living room, where a diya lit for the puja is suspected to have set off the blaze,” the officer said. Ravindra Ambulgekar, chief fire officer, said that Dhanpat appeared to have tried using the lift instead of taking the staircase after smoke began spreading. He said, “He was rescued by firemen using the staircase and taken to Kokilaben Hospital.
