Three dead, six hurt in Narela food processing unit fire
Anshita Mehra
New Delhi, June 8
In yet another devastating incident, three persons died and six others were critically injured in a fire that broke out at Shyam Kripa Foods, a dry moong dal processing factory, in Narela, outer Delhi, on Saturday morning.
Fire due to gas leak
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire originated from a gas leak in one of the factory’s pipes, leading to the overheating of a compressor and triggering a fatal explosion. The blast was so strong that one wall of a room also collapsed.
The blaze, which erupted around 3.38 am, quickly engulfed the entire factory, prompting a swift response from the Delhi Fire Services (DFS). Atul Garg, DFS chief, said 16 fire tenders were deployed to combat the raging flames.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North) Ravi Kumar Singh said, “A total of nine men were rescued from the factory premises. Tragically, three persons succumbed to their injuries, while the remaining survivors were rushed to Safdarjung Hospital.”
The victims have been identified as Shyam (24), Ram Singh (30) and Beerpal (42), all workers at the factory. Their demise serves as a poignant reminder of the grave risks faced by industrial labourers in hazardous work environments.
The victims’ family members alleged that they worked 12-hour shifts, instead of eight, for Rs 12,000 to Rs 20,000 per month, depending on their experience. The factory owners had hired about 20 workers.
Ram Singh, a native of Uttar Pradesh’s Auraiya, is survived by his wife and a six-year-old daughter. His uncle Avdhesh Singh said, “His family lives in their native village and was solely dependent on him. He earned Rs 14,000 a month. Who will take care of them?”
Beerpal’s son Akash said he would help his father run the family by driving a taxi. “I have a younger brother and two teenage sisters. They are all studying. I don’t know how we will survive now,” Akash said.
Beerpal was a native of Uttar Pradesh’s Mainpuri but lived in the factory. His family lives in west Delhi’s Nangloi area.
Shyam, a native of Uttar Pradesh’s Kannauj, lived on the first floor of the building with the other workers and worked on the ground floor, which housed all the machinery, his cousin Bhola said. He had a night shift on Friday, Bhola added.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire originated from a gas leak in one of the factory’s pipes, leading to the overheating of a compressor and triggering a fatal explosion. The blast was so strong that one wall of a room also collapsed.
Factory owners Ankit Gupta and Vinay Gupta, residents of Rohini, were arrested after they failed to provide documents related to the unit, which had been running since 2010.
