Bodies charred, some families still clueless after massive fire in Delhi

On Friday, clueless families and loved ones of the deceased victims rushed to the Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital in north Delhi to receive the bodies

Two teenagers, Rampravesh Kumar from Muzzfarnagar and Brijkishore from Gonda in Uttar Pradesh — both 19 — had begun working at the factory only recently. The two were asked to do all the packaging work before being killed in the massive fire that broke out in the factory on Thursday evening.

New Delhi, India - February 16, 2024: Locals gathered near the paint godown that caught fire last night, resulting in the death of 11 people in Alipur, in New Delhi on Friday, February 16, 2024. (Photo by Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

On Friday, clueless families and loved ones of the deceased victims rushed to the Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital in north Delhi to receive the bodies but were met with chaos as remained unidentified. Police said this was because they were badly charred.

Brijkishore’s cousin and Rampravesh’s friend, Rahul, told HT that he was the one who suggested the men take the job at the fateful factory — Om Suns Paints in Alipur.

“The place was unsafe and the owners were rude. We were never provided with any safety equipment and our salaries were delayed by 4-6 weeks. On Thursday, I was sleeping when a neighbour woke me up and told me about the fire. I rushed to help them but nobody allowed me to go near the factory. Till 7pm, their phones were ringing but then they were switched off,” said Rahul Kumar, 19, who also worked at the factory.

Among the 11 victims of the tragedy, many were sole breadwinners or ones who mainly provided for the family. Such families now stare at an uncertain future.

Vishal Gaund, 19, was one such man who left his village in Azamgarh in UP last year to make ends meet and support his three brothers, a sister and elderly parents. “Vishal came to Delhi and started working as a labourer. In less than 8-9 months, he had managed to pay off our father’s debt. Though he was the youngest, he was mature and responsible. When I saw his remains, I almost fainted. I could only spot his slippers and his body was completely charred. He did not even work at the factory full-time and was only hired for some welding work,” said Vishal’s brother Dharmendar Gaund.

Standing next to Dharmendar was the family of Ram Surat Singh, 40. Ram was Vishal’s employer, who, along with Pankaj Kumar, 29, carried out the welding work. Ram’s elder brother, Dinesh, came from Kanpur to receive his brother’s body. “Ram has two sons and a daughter and all of them are under 18. How could I bring them here? His wife wants to see his remains but there is nothing to show. I was hoping for his survival... He was my only family and we were all dependent on him,” said Dinesh.

Meanwhile, Pankaj, who was originally from Lakhimpur Kheri, is survived by two children and a wife. His cousin, Rajesh Kumar, said: “His children don’t know anything about his death. We have called his parents and will let them decide… We don’t know what to do. My brother was killed because of negligence.”

Pankaj’s family was not the only one who blamed the factory owner for the incident. Anil Thakur, 46, was among the deceased and was identified by his minor son and brother with the help of his shoes and build. Thakur’s uncle, Nirsaman, questioned why his nephew was not provided with safety equipment. “There were no gloves, masks or fire safety equipment. They didn’t even have a window or extra door for ventilation. They were forced to work behind a locked door. How could the men escape in such conditions? Anil was the breadwinner of the family,” he said. Police said Pankaj and Vishal were erecting stacks near the gate of the factory when the fire broke out. They rushed inside to help others but never returned.

Among the “missing” deceased was a 44-year-old woman named Meera Devi, survived by two children aged under 18. Devi had recently moved to Delhi, police said.

As of Friday, police said they identified eight of the deceased, adding they would carry out DNA tests and match the samples with the family members to ascertain their identities. Police said that among the deceased was also Ashok Kumar Jain, who was the father of the owner, Akhil Jain. Ashok was inside the factory, sitting in the office when the blast occurred. The family lives in Sonipat.