Mumbai, January 17: A horrifying video has surfaced on social media showing a man running through a street with his clothes and body engulfed in flames following a transformer explosion in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. The incident, which occurred late Friday, January 16, has left the victim in critical condition and ignited fresh concerns regarding the maintenance of electrical infrastructure in densely populated urban areas. Residents, who captured the harrowing footage on their mobile phones, were seen rushing to the victim’s aid with blankets and water to extinguish the blaze.

The Incident: A Sudden Explosion

The blast took place in a crowded residential pocket of Ghaziabad during peak evening hours. Witnesses reported a series of loud sparks from the overhead transformer, followed by a sudden, deafening explosion. The victim, whose identity has not been officially released but is believed to be a local resident in his late 20s, was walking directly beneath the unit when it failed. Ghaziabad Shocker: Cook Caught Spitting on Chapatis at Roadside Eatery in Uttar Pradesh, Arrested After Video Goes Viral.

Video Show Man Running With His Body on Fire in Ghaziabad

The force of the blast sprayed boiling transformer oil onto the passerby, causing his clothing to ignite instantly. The viral footage shows the man running in panic as flames leap from his back and shoulders, a scene that has caused widespread shock across digital platforms.

Medical Condition and Emergency Response

The victim was initially rushed to a nearby district hospital before being shifted to a specialised burn ward in a Delhi facility due to the severity of his injuries. Medical officials state that he has sustained third-degree burns over 60% of his body and remains in critical condition under observation.

Fire tenders and police arrived at the spot shortly after the blast to secure the area and prevent further electrical hazards. The electricity department, Pashchimanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Limited (PVVNL), has suspended power supply to the affected colony as engineers investigate the cause of the technical failure.

Allegations of Negligence

Residents of the Ghaziabad neighbourhood have alleged that they had filed multiple complaints regarding the "sparking and humming" of that specific transformer over the last week. "We told the linemen that oil was leaking and the sounds were getting louder, but no one came to fix it," claimed a local shopkeeper. Ghaziabad Horror: 7-Year-Old Beaten to Death for Soiling Clothes in Uttar Pradesh, Parents Arrested.

In response, a senior official from PVVNL stated that a formal inquiry has been initiated. "We are investigating whether the blast was caused by an internal technical fault or an external factor like overloading. If any negligence is found on the part of the maintenance team, strict disciplinary action will be taken," the official added.

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TruLY Score 3 – Believable; Needs Further Research | On a Trust Scale of 0-5 this article has scored 3 on LatestLY, this article appears believable but may need additional verification. It is based on reporting from news websites or verified journalists (Official X Account of Sachin Gupta), but lacks supporting official confirmation. Readers are advised to treat the information as credible but continue to follow up for updates or confirmations

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 17, 2026 12:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).