Two Delhi Fire Service officials injured as fire breaks out in 3 chemical factories

A major fire broke out in three chemical factories in west Delhi's Naraina Monday, triggering a blast in which a fireman and a special officer of the Delhi Fire Service were injured, a senior officer said.

The fire broke out in the factories located behind PVR Cinema at the Naraina industrial area around 11.35 am. Forty fire tenders were rushed to the spot after a call about the blaze was received.

Officials said the factory where the fire started did not have a fire safety clearance and even the other two factories were functioning without a fire No Objection Certificate. They said there could have been casualties, had it been a working day.

"The chemical was adhesive in nature. It is suspected that it was spirit. The fire was brought under control at 2.10 pm. Just when it was thought that the fire had been doused, there was a blast in containers in which chemical was stored which led to injuries to fireman Naresh Kumar and special officer Aman," the Delhi Fire Service official said.

The impact of the blast was such that the duo slipped and sustained burn injuries.

"The fireman sustained burn injuries on the back and even when water was being poured to ease the pain, he was feeling a burning sensation and was crying constantly," a witness said.

The injured were rushed to B L Kapoor Super Specialty Hospital and are out of danger, Chief Fire Officer of Delhi Fire Service Atul Garg said.

Garg said it seems the factories did not have fire clearance, but they are checking the facts.

One of the three factories was completely gutted in the blaze, one was partially burnt and the third one was affected a little bit, a senior fire officer said, adding that the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

"There was panic in the area as locals saw smoke emanating from a factory around 11 am. Rumours are being spread about the fire tenders reaching late. Actually, fire engines reached there on time," General Secretary of Naraina Gurdwara C S Bhatia said.

The blaze intensified due to wind making the job of firemen difficult, an official said, adding that the factory was located in an open area due to which the firetenders could reach the spot in time and had easy access to the factories.

Smoke billowing from the factory could be seen from a distance as the firetenders made multiple trips to the fire station to fill water in the containers.