Ludhiana, June 11 — A 35-year-old man from Jamalpur, Ludhiana, died on Monday from severe burn injuries sustained after his scooter caught fire while he was smoking and checking its fuel tank.
The deceased has been identified as Karan Khurana, a resident of the Jamalpur area. According to police, the incident occurred on Saturday when Khurana was extracting petrol from his two-wheeler outside his residence.
Inspector Balwinder Kaur, Station House Officer (SHO) of Jamalpur police station, said, “Karan was smoking a cigarette while opening the fuel tank cover of his scooter. The cigarette appears to have ignited the petrol fumes, triggering a sudden blaze.”
The flames quickly engulfed both the scooter and Khurana. Hearing his cries, family members rushed to the spot, doused the fire, and took him to the hospital with critical burn injuries. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries on Monday.
Police said the scooter was completely destroyed in the fire. The body was handed over to the family after a postmortem examination.
Authorities have reiterated warnings against smoking near flammable substances and urged the public to exercise caution while handling fuel.
