Two die in fire at illegal Delhi factory

Two workers were killed and another was injured in a fire at an illegal factory in west Delhi, police said on Tuesday.

Satendar Kumar and Arvind Kumar, both hailing from Bihar, were killed in the fire that began around 10.50 p.m. on Monday at the crockery manufacturing factory in Nawada area.

Police said that prima facie an electrical short circuit caused the fire, which was put out by 1 a.m. on Tuesday, adding that the injured person's condition was stable.

Senior officials of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation told IANS that the unit did not have the necessary factory licence from the local body.

Chief Fire Officer Atul Garg said the unit did not possess the mandatory no-objection certificate from the Delhi Fire Service.

The officer said the factory had only one entry-exit point and the three victims were found trapped behind the exit door that was found locked.

Police said the factory owner was being questioned. An FIR has been registered, though no arrest has been made.

Last week, four workers were killed in a fire in an illegal factory in a residential area in Sultanpuri in west Delhi.

In January, 17 people were killed and 30 injured in a fire in another factory in Bawana in north Delhi.

--IANS

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