New Delhi: In the final moments, before the fire killed them, Lado Devi (70) and her only daughter, Himanshi (22), held on to each other. It was a bond that, eyewitnesses said, did not break even when the flames closed in.Himanshi, fondly called Mansi at home, and Lado Devi were the last to be found by the firefighters. The two lived on the second floor, where they were found in a bathroom. It seemed they hid there to escape from the smoke and heat.Naresh Sharma, a friend of the Kashyaps and an employee, said the two were found at the end by DFS personnel. “When they were found, it was as if they were stuck together,” Sharma said. “They tried to take shelter there in their final moments.”What struck those present was the condition in which the two were found. Himanshi, who was doing a PhD, had severe burns, while her mother had comparatively fewer injuries. “It seemed as if Mansi had tried to shield her mother from the blaze,” Sharma said. It was her final act — to somehow save her mum.Police have found the CCTV footage, which shows that the fire originated on a lower level and spread to the upper floors.Eyewitnesses described the sequence in which the others were found as the blaze spread rapidly through the Kashyaps’ shop and their house. In all, nine people from the family died.Sachin was the first to be spotted by the rescuers. He escaped with burns and called for help. After him, Deepika was brought out, Sharma said.Anil was then seen throwing Mitali out of the structure in an attempt to save her, before he jumped out. Others — Pravesh, Kamal, Ashu, and the three girls, Niharika, Ivani and Jessica — were brought out one after another.By the time the rescuers reached the second floor, the fire had taken control of every corner of the building. Himanshi and Lado Devi were found then. Those who went in to rescue said the sight of the mother and daughter will forever stay with them.“A preliminary electrical inspection was carried out on Friday. The report on what caused the fire is still awaited and could shed light on any possible electrical faults or other contributing factors,” a police source said.Police added that requests for inspection have been sent to authorities, including MCD, BSES and IGL, to enable a comprehensive assessment and ensure that a detailed report is submitted at the earliest.Police sources said investigators are also examining whether the shop had substances such as thinners that could have fuelled the fire.
