Mosquito repellent stick ignite fire at home, kills two teenagers

A tragic fire ignited by mosquito repellent sticks claimed the lives of two brothers in Ghaziabad's Prashant Vihar area on Saturday night. The victims, identified as Arun (Class 12) and Vansh (Class 10), were sleeping in their room when the incident occurred.

According to officials, the fire broke out around 1:30 am. The boys had lit mosquito repellent sticks and placed them between two bricks under their bed. Their father, Neeraj, woke up to the smell of smoke and flames emanating from their room but was unable to save them. Vansh was found dead on the spot, while Arun succumbed to his injuries after being rushed to the hospital.

The family of four was sleeping in separate rooms when the tragedy unfolded. Neeraj recounted that there was no electricity in the area due to ongoing replacement of electric wires. To ward off mosquitoes in the stagnant air, the children resorted to using the repellent sticks. Unfortunately, the fire spread quickly as the boys were sleeping with a blanket and clothes on the bed.

Local residents intervened to help the family, breaking into the room and attempting to douse the fire with buckets of water. Despite their efforts, the blaze had already caused significant damage.

The bodies of the victims have been sent for postmortem to ascertain the exact cause of death—whether from burns or smoke inhalation.

This heartbreaking incident highlights the risks of using open-flame mosquito repellents indoors, especially in poorly ventilated areas. Authorities have urged families to exercise caution with such devices to prevent further tragedies.