Delhi factory fire: Death toll climbs to 11

New Delhi: Police reported that the death toll from an explosion and ensuing fire at a paint factory in the Alipur area of outer Delhi has risen to 11, following the recovery of four additional bodies from the site. The incident, which occurred on Thursday evening, also left four individuals injured, who are currently receiving treatment at a hospital.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, meanwhile, announced an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of each deceased victim.

The charred bodies of the 11 victims, 10 men and one woman, were recovered from the factory, which also houses chemical godowns, located in Alipur’s Dayalpur market, a Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official said. The factory — Om Suns Paint — has been operating since 2017.

The fire was preceded by a blast and soon it spread to nearby buildings, including a drug rehabilitation centre and eight shops.

The DFS official said a call about the fire was received around 5:30 pm on Thursday and 22 fire tenders were pressed into service.

The blaze was brought under control by 9 pm, he said, adding that 11 charred bodies were recovered from the factory premises.

The bodies have been preserved at the Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital and the process of identifying them is being carried out, police said

The eight victims who have been identified are — Ashok Kumar Jain (62), Ram Surat Singh (44), Vishal Gaund (19), Anil Thakur (46), Pankaj Kumar (29), Shubham (19), Mira (44) and Brijkishore (19).

Police said it is suspected that the factory gate was locked and the workers could not get out of the building after the fire broke out.

Forensic experts have collected samples from the spot, the officer said, adding, “Prima facie, it is suspected that the fire broke out due to a short circuit and spread to an area where chemicals were kept, leading to multiple blasts.”

Another officer said some of the victims were identified on the basis of the clothes they were wearing at the time of the incident and other articles.

If required, a DNA test will be conducted on the unidentified bodies, he added.

Police said the factory was being operated by Akhil Jain of Sonipat, Haryana. A case under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the IPC has been registered against the owner of the factory.

The chief minister visited the site to take stock of the situation in the aftermath of the blaze that broke out on Thursday evening.

“We have full sympathy for the families of the deceased. We will provide a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the kin of the deceased. Two people have sustained minor injuries and they will be awarded a compensation of Rs 20,000 each and those with major injuries will be awarded a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each,” he told reporters.

He said those whose nearby shops and houses were affected due to the fire will be awarded compensation in line with the government’s policy.

“We will fully assess the damage caused to shops and houses that were burnt. I just told the DM and the loss incurred will be compensated as per the government’s policy.”

The chief minister said there are allegations that there was a delay in the arrival of fire tenders to the spot.

“I will order an inquiry into it and whoever is guilty of this, will not be spared. How this factory was running in a residential area will also be investigated. Action will also be taken soon,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) said that the house in which the fire incident happened was used illegally for mixing chemical paint.

Nevertheless, relatives of victims of the explosion and fire incident and some residents alleged that several complaints were made to authorities about fire safety in Dayalpur market area in Alipur here but no one paid any attention.

Devendra Saini, a nurse at the drug rehabilitation centre, said the work at the paint factory, where fire broke out, mostly involves use of inflammable substances and multiple complaints were submitted by them.

“By the time police reached the spot, damage was already done. We made several complaints earlier regarding our concerns but nothing happened. This is a place where fire catches easier than petrol. Government always engages in blame games, how can we expect help from them?” he asked.

“Paint work includes mostly inflammable substances and that factory was situated so close to us. We raised concerns but nobody paid attention,” Saini alleged.

One of the residents, Ajay alleged that the village has more than 100 factories running illegally. WITH AGENCIES INPUTS