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43 People Killed After Massive Fire In Delhi's Anaj Mandi Area

Police files case against factory owner for culpable homicide as Fire Service Director says the building did not have fire safety clearance.
A massive fire has claimed at least 43 lives in Delhi's Anaj Mandi area.
ANI
A massive fire has claimed at least 43 lives in Delhi's Anaj Mandi area.

New Delhi— At least 43 people have died after a massive fire broke out in a factory in Delhi’s Anaj Mandi area at 5:22am this morning, PTI reported.

Police told PTI there were 59 people inside the factory, which was operating from a residential area.

The Delhi Police has registered a case against the factory owner under section 304 of IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder. It is punishable with a maximum of ten years in prison, PTI reported.

The case has been transferred to crime branch.

Soon after this update, the Delhi Fire Service Director Atul Garg said the building did not have fire clearance and they did not find any fire safety equipment installed on the premises.

Most victims are said to have died of asphyxiation as they were probably asleep when the fire broke out.

30 fire tenders were deployed to the site and 52 victims were shifted to hospitals, although 32 succumbed to their injuries there, The Hindu reported.

People who were rescued have been rushed to RML Hospital, LNJP and Hindu Rao Hospital, fire officials said.

Later Dr Kishore Singh, Medical Superintendent, LNJP, said 34 people were brought dead to LNJP hospital and smoke inhalation was the primary cause of the death.” Adding that some of the bodies that arrived were charred.

Out of the 15 injured brought to LNJP, nine people are under observation and others have partial injuries, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted calling the incident “horrific” and said his thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has reached the site of the fire, ANI reported.

Congress member Rahul Gandhi also tweeted, expressing his condolences.

PTI also reported that Delhi home minister, Satyendra Jain met fire fighter Rajesh Shukla in LNJP Hospital, where Shukla is recuperating after rescuing 11 people from the fire this morning.

The news agency spoke to some of the area’s residents.

23-year-old Manoj, from Begusarai in Bihar, said his 18-year-old brother Naveen was working in a handbag manufacturing unit operating from the premises.

He told PTI, “I got a call from his friend informing that he has been injured in the incident. I have no clue which hospital he has been taken to.”

An unidentified elderly man, whose three nephews worked in the factory, said many units were operating from the premises which was located in a congested area.

Earlier this year, dozens of people died when a fire broke out in an unauthorised firecracker factory in Punjab.

The toll is expected to increase as the day goes on.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.