Two killed after fire in Narela shoe factory

Police said a total of 20 injured people were rushed to a nearby hospital, where two of them were declared brought dead. The deceased were later identified as Sonu Thakur, 24, from Banka in Bihar, and Akhil Kumar, 20, from Narela.

Two workers were killed and at least 18 others suffered burns and other injuries after a massive fire broke out on Tuesday at a footwear manufacturing and packaging factory at outer Delhi’s Narela Industrial Area, police said.

Fire services personnel at the site of the blaze. (HT Photo)

The semi-charred bodies of the two workers were found inside a bathroom on the first floor. It appeared that the two had locked themselves inside the bathroom after they found themselves trapped in the blaze that had engulfed the first and second floors of the four-storey building, Delhi Fire Services (DFS) officials involved in the firefighting and rescue operation said.

They said several workers saved their lives either by jumping off the building or crossing over to adjacent buildings from the roof.

“No fire fighting arrangements were found at the factory. The factory was operating without obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the fire department. We will inform the concerned authorities about the violations and ask them to take necessary action against the factory and its owner,” said DFS chief Atul Garg.

Police said a total of 20 injured people were rushed to a nearby hospital, where two of them were declared brought dead. The deceased were later identified as Sonu Thakur, 24, from Banka in Bihar, and Akhil Kumar, 20, from Narela.

Deputy commissioner of police (outer-north) Devesh Kumar Mahla said that according to the factory workers, the fire started due to an explosion in a polyurethane (PU) machine that was used to producing the soles of the footwear.

“The workers said the PU machine had developed some fault and was not working properly. They had told the factory owner several times to get it repaired. However, the machine was not repaired and the workers were continuing the production with the faulty machine,” said DCP Mahla.

Police have registered a case against the factory owner, identified as Sahil Garg (30), under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligent conduct with respect to machinery, causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others, and common intention.

The DCP said Garg, a resident of Pitampura in Delhi, is absconding and teams have been formed to arrest him.

Arun Kumar, a cousin of Thakur, one of the deceased, told mediapersons that he was the only earning member in his family after the death of his father. “My cousin was working in Delhi for the past four-five years. He had returned to Delhi from Banka after celebrating Diwali,” said Arun.