Two killed in cracker warehouse blaze

ibune News Service

Gurugram, April 15

Two persons were killed and five others injured in a fire incident at a firecracker warehouse in the Khandsa industrial area here during early hours on Monday. The fire broke out following an explosion in a vehicle parked there. Two of the three injured have been admitted to the Safdurjung Hospital in New Delhi in a critical condition with 80 per cent burns.

According to the police, the incident happened in early hours when a vehicle carrying firecrackers and spray arrived at the warehouse from Delhi. The material was unloaded but it caught fire due to a sudden explosion. While the vehicle driver, identified as Sattar, died on the spot, the injured were taken to hospital where watchman Nepal Mahto died.

Another driver Sanju and warehouse employee Shailender Mishra have been admitted to the Safdurjung Hospital while injured Kanhaiya Lal and Lal Bahadur are being treated at the Kamla Hospital.

Sources claimed that it was a CNG kit fitted in the vehicle that blasted due to pressure created by high temperature, but the authorities did not confirm anything. A team from the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory (CFSL) visited the warehouse and took samples. A team of ballistic experts also inspected the incident site.

However, a major tragedy was avoided as the Fire Department sent fire engines within minutes of being informed about the incident. Quintals of fire crackers were stored in the warehouse and firefighters managed to stop the fire from spreading. “The vehicle had a large amount of cracker spray, which is highly inflammable. Excessive nitrogen may have caused the explosion. We have registered a case under Sections 304,308 of the IPC and arrested warehouse manager Bharat Bhushan Kataria and his son Amit Kataria,” said police spokesperson Subhash Bokan.