1 dead, 5 hurt as factory unit collapses due to fire

Firefighters and NDRF men at work after a fire broke out in a plastic factory at Mayapuri industrial estate in New Delhi on Thursday. (Photo: PTI )

A man was killed while five others, including three firefighters, were injured in the collapse of a three-storeyed plastic factory building, triggered by fire in Outer Delhi’s Narela area on Thursday.

The deceased has been identified as a 27-year-old labourer, Sajjan Kumar, the police said.

The injured firefighters have been identified as assistant divisional officer A.K. Jaiswal, sub-officer Tejpal and fireman Anup Kumar, said a fire department official.

Mr Jaiswal, Mr Tejpal and Mr Kumar were stuck under the debris and sustained injuries to their hand and face. Mr Jaiswal sustained injuries to his hand and was discharged from the hospital, while Mr Tejpal and Mr Kumar are still undergoing treatment at Ganga Ram Hospital, he said.

Officials said that the injured people are undergoing treatment at Max Hospital in Shalimar Bagh and one person has been discharged.

A fire call was received at 4.45 pm on Wednesday and 35 fire tenders were involved in the rescue operation, said a fire department official.

While the operations were on, the top floor of the building collapsed and people were trapped under the debris, the police said. Fire department officials said that rescue operations are on as it is feared that there are more people stuck inside the factory that collapsed.

According to fire department officials, the fire sta-rted on the ground floor of the factory and later spread to the top floors of the warehouse where plastic glasses were made. Delhi PWD minister Satyendar Jain visited the site of the incident and took stock of the situation.

When asked about the people still feared to be trapped in the rubble, he said, “There are heavy beams which cannot be shifted manually. We are trying to figure out a way to rescue them.” The rescue operations are on.