On December 9, tragedy struck a wedding in Ambala as two children, who had traveled from Punjab with their father, suffered severe burns when a popcorn machine at the event caught fire. The father, former Sarpanch Tarsem Singh, detailed the incident in a complaint to the Naggal police station.
The family was attending the wedding of their relative’s daughter, Dalbir Singh Sarwara, at Jaypee Resort on Nanyaula Road, Ambala. The catering arrangements included a popcorn machine and a candy flower machine on a table. Both machines were operated by a single employee. The father, along with his wife Harsharan Kaur and two sons, eight-year-old Veer Pratap Singh and two-and-a-half-year-old Abhay Pratap, approached the stall to get snacks for the children.
As the employee sprinkled oil on the popcorn, a lamp beneath the machine ignited a fire. The flames caused severe burns to the faces, hands, stomach, and chest of both children. Despite calling for help, the father alleges that no fire extinguisher was available on the premises. Attendees
and staff attempted to control the burns with water until the victims were rushed to Chaudmastpur CHC in a relative’s car.At the CHC, the children received initial aid and were then referred to the Medical College in Ludhiana. The father expressed frustration over the lack of fire safety measures and inexperienced staff at the popcorn and candy flower stall. He also pointed out the absence of a fire extinguisher at the wedding venue.
A case was registered by the police in response to the incident. The family is demanding action against both the caterer, for hiring inexperienced staff, and the wedding venue owner, for not maintaining proper fire safety equipment.
The children are currently undergoing treatment at Dayanand Medical College in Ludhiana. The case highlights the importance of ensuring adequate safety measures at public events and venues to prevent such tragic incidents. The investigation will likely delve into the circumstances surrounding the fire and the responsibilities of those involved in organizing the wedding event.
