New Delhi, 31 October (H.S.): Four workers were killed and two others seriously injured after a massive fire broke out at a shoe manufacturing factory in the Mangolpuri Industrial Area of northwest Delhi on Friday night. The victims were among six people rescued in an unconscious state from the premises after thick smoke engulfed the building. They were rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where four were declared dead, while the two injured workers remain under treatment.

According to officials, the fire broke out at a footwear manufacturing and storage unit in Phase-I of the Mangolpuri Industrial Area at around 9:32 pm on Friday. Teams from the Delhi Fire Service and the police rushed to the spot soon after receiving the alert. Around 20 fire tenders were deployed to extinguish the blaze and rescue those trapped inside the factory.

Fire officials said the fire originated in the basement of the building. Although firefighters managed to contain the flames within the basement, dense smoke spread to the upper floors, making it difficult for workers inside to find their way out. Several workers reportedly lost consciousness after being exposed to the smoke.

During the rescue operation, firefighters recovered six people in an unconscious condition from inside the factory. One person was found near the staircase on the third floor, while five others were rescued from the fourth floor. All six were immediately taken to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital. Doctors declared four of them dead, while the remaining two were admitted for treatment.

The firefighting and rescue teams faced considerable difficulties because of the heavy smoke inside the building. After bringing the fire under control, firefighters conducted a search of the premises and carried out cooling operations to prevent any possibility of the blaze reigniting. More than 20 fire tenders were involved in the operation, which continued for several hours.

According to officials, the premises were being used both for manufacturing and storing footwear. While the flames were contained in the basement, smoke spread through the building and trapped workers on the upper floors, resulting in the casualties.

Outer District Deputy Commissioner of Police Vikram Singh said the cause of the fire was being investigated. The factory owner has been summoned for questioning, while the contractor and other employees are also being questioned to establish how many workers were present at the premises when the incident occurred.

Investigators are also examining whether adequate fire-safety arrangements were in place at the factory and whether any lapses contributed to the tragedy.

The exact cause of the fire has not yet been established. Police and fire department officials are examining the possibility of an electrical short circuit, potential violations of fire-safety norms and other factors as part of the investigation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar