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Two workers killed, property worth ₹2 cr gutted in Saharanpur paper mill fire
Saharanpur’s chief fire officer (CFO) Tejveer Singh said that a stampede-like situation was caused inside the mill when the fire broke out as there were around 200 workers inside the unit.
LUCKNOW: At least two workers died while property worth ₹2 crore was reduced to ashes as a major fire broke out in Saharanpur-based Star Paper Mill during wee hours on Wednesday. According to police, three other workers, who went missing after the accident, were later found to be safe as they had gone out of the mill when the fire broke out.
Sharing further details, Saharanpur’s chief fire officer (CFO) Tejveer Singh said that the fire broke out at the paper mill, spread in over 200 bigha, around 2 pm. He added that a stampede-like situation was caused inside the mill when the fire broke out as there were around 200 workers inside the unit. “The mill remains operational round the clock. Flames spread quickly as the mill had paper bundles in huge quantity which caught on the fire,” said CFO Singh.
After receiving information of the blaze, a rescue operation was launched by fire tenders. It went on till 9 am. The bodies of two workers, who had probably gone to sleep between the paper bundles during the night shift, were also recovered from the spot. As per prima facie evidence, the victims likely went unconscious due to the smoke and were subsequently burnt to death.
One of the deceased has been identified as Lal Bahadur Mandal while the identity of the other one is yet to be ascertained. Meanwhile, the injured are undergoing treatment at a hospital located inside the mill premises, as per reports.
While a team of fire experts are analysing the cause behind the fire, a preliminary inquiry conducted at the spot suggested that a short circuit could have led to the blaze.
