Owners, managers of twin units booked after Faridabad fire injures 37

FIR cites unsafe storage of lubricants and machines. At least 10 victims have severe burns and are being treated in Delhi hospitals as forensic teams probe the cause.

Police have booked the owners and managers of two units for allegedly storing inflammable items and lubricants that triggered a massive fire and chain of explosions in Faridabad’s Sector 24 on Monday night, leaving 37 people injured, officers said.

Officials said both units lacked a fire NOC and ran from the same premises for years. Forensic samples collected as investigators check licences and violations. (PTI)

Fire department officials said online records showed no fire no-objection certificate (NOC) issued for the two shops.

Police said Vijay Monga, 65, and his son Abhishek Monga, 37, owned Kalka Lubricant Trading Company’s shop, while Nikhil Monga owned Shiv Steel Company’s shop and is Vijay’s nephew. Both shops had been operating for the past 19 years from the same premises.

At least 37 people, including three policemen and two firefighters, sustained burn injuries. Police said at least 10 victims, including sub-inspector Ravi Kumar, firefighters Bhuvi Chand and Ranvir, and the shop owners, suffered burn injuries of up to 50% or more and were undergoing treatment at Safdarjung hospital and AIIMS-Delhi.

Following a complaint by injured constable Ajnesh Kumar, an FIR was registered at Mujesar police station on Monday night under sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous means) and 124(1) (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the owners and managers, police said, adding the extent of involvement and the exact number of accused will be clear upon further probe.

Ajnesh Kumar alleged in the FIR that police reached the spot and found a machine on fire inside Shiv Steel Company. “It exploded all of a sudden which blew up the walls and the drums filled with inflammable lubricants and chemicals in the lubricant shop also caught fire triggering explosions. The machines and lubricants were kept without any safety measures,” he mentioned in the FIR, which was assessed by HT.

Rakesh Yadav, Sector 25 fire station officer, said officials checked online records but could not find any fire safety NOC issued to the two owners. “We inspected the spot on Tuesday morning and found five CNC charred machines inside the shop. Both were operating from the same premises with a partition,” he said. “Both firefighters had fixed hoses and were waiting inside the shop for the fire tender driver to turn on the water when the first blast took place. It spread immediately and leaving the duo, three policemen and others nearby injured,” he added, noting the explosion blew up three walls. He said it remained unclear whether a short circuit, overheating of a CNC machine or a spark triggered the fire.

Sunil Jindal, owner of Shiv Tube Company located adjacent to the lubricant shop, said the fire spread to the road after the first explosion. “The industrial use lubricants stored in several 200-litres capacity drums caught fire and explosion started taking place which caused all the injuries. Within 15 minutes, a foam tender reached the spot and controlled the flames, but damage was done by that time,” he said.

Khushi Ram Rawat, who owns a crane services shop nearby, said, ”Both shops were ran from the same premise but owners had separate licenses.”

Yashpal Yadav, public relations officer of Faridabad police, said forensic experts visited the spot on Tuesday and collected samples. “Investigation was on to ascertain licenses issued to the owners and what violations took place. Afterwards, further action will be taken,” he said.