A factory fire in Delhi’s Mangolpuri Industrial Area killed four workers and left two others injured, after flames broke out at a shoe manufacturing unit in Phase 1 on Friday night. The fire started in the basement of the building, while workers were present on the upper floors.
The incident was reported at about 9.30 pm from B-293/294 in Mangolpuri Industrial Area Phase 1. Around 20 fire tenders were sent to the site after the alert was received. Firefighters rescued six people from the third and fourth floors and took them to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, where four were declared dead.
The deceased workers were identified as Premchand, Harihar, Ashok and Lal Babu. The report said the workers were from Ashok Vihar and Bihar’s Nalanda district, while the addresses and identities of the victims were still being verified. Police were contacting their families to complete the identification process and establish their place of origin.
Two other workers, Harendra and Vikas, were injured in the fire. Harendra was admitted to the emergency department of Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, while Vikas was placed in the intensive care unit. The injured workers were also reported to be from Nalanda district.
The building had a basement, ground floor and three additional floors, with partial construction on a fourth floor. According to the preliminary information reported by Jagran, the fire began in the basement. Firefighters continued cooling operations at the site late into the night after the flames were brought under control.
The incident has also highlighted the working and living conditions of workers employed in Delhi’s industrial areas. The report said several workers at the factory had come to Delhi from other states and lived in rented accommodation in nearby neighbourhoods. Their family members were being contacted as officials worked to confirm the victims’ details.
Police have begun investigating the circumstances of the fire and are questioning factory owners Mukesh Bansal and Rohit Goyal. A short circuit has been identified as a possible initial cause, but the actual cause will be established only after the investigation is completed.
The immediate official actions are focused on identifying the victims, treating the injured workers and determining how the fire started inside the basement. The police inquiry and the fire investigation will establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and whether any further action is required.
