Ghaziabad: Man charred to death as car catches fire after hitting pole

A former crew member of a private airline was charred to death after an accident in Shalimar Garden locality of Ghaziabad on Wednesday morning. The 25-year-old was trapped in the Hyundai Verna car which burst into flames after it hit an electricity pole and overturned.

The police later identified the man as Zaif Khan who was the only son among seven sisters, including his family and three uncles. He had left the airlines job around six months back and was on his way to a gym early morning as his father, Zubair Khan, had asked him to maintain fitness.

"He was on way to the gym when the car hit the electricity pole.

The car overturned several times and he could not pull himself out. There was some spark near the petrol tank and he got charred inside... the body was just left with bones. He was finished inside the burning car," said Mohammad Zulfiqar, the victim's uncle.

The incident took place at around 4 am when the speeding car hit the power pole and overturned near Ram Manohar Lohiya Park. Such was the impact that the iron pole broke into two pieces and the car was engulfed in flames. Khan was trapped inside and could not escape to safety.

Officials said fire tenders were rushed to the spot and there wasn't much left of the victim. Zaif's father is a general manager (sales) at a car showroom in Delhi. He also rushed to the house after the police traced the victim's address to Shalimar Garden Extension II.



The family was about to proceed to Ajmer Sharif on Sunday for prayers. Initially, the family tried his Iphone7 till 7am, but could not connect. They thought that he was probably in the gym and not picking up the phone.

"We purchased the Iphone for him around a week back. I had told him that I was more fit than him at my age and he should maintain his fitness. He took my advice to heart and joined the gym. But things did not turn out as we expected... he is no more," victim's father said.

Soon after the incident, a PCR van alerted the fire department and fire tender was rushed to spot.

"The car hit the electricity pole and overturned. Prima facie, it seems that it caught fire due to a spark in the petrol tank. The man got charred and we only saw a skeleton inside after the fire was doused. We rushed to the spot after a call from the PCR van at around 4.30am," said Abul Abbas, fire safety officer, Sahibabad.

The car is registered at a Preet Vihar address in east Delhi. The police traced the address later on the basis of records of the showroom where the car was last serviced.

"The car was speeding when it hit the pole. We could not ascertain whether the car was on the wrong side or not as it tumbled multiple times. The victim probably went unconscious or could not step outside. The fire engulfed the entire car in seconds and he was charred to death," said Anup Singh, circle officer (Sahibabad).