Fire in mattress factory in Kanpur, 6 killed

Six workers were killed and four others suffered severe burn injuries in a massive fire at a mattress factory in the industrial area here, police said on Sunday.

Kanpur Dehat Superintendent of Police (SP) BBGTS Murthy said the fire broke out at RP Poly Plast Pvt Ltd on Khanpur Khadanja Road in Rania on Saturday due to a short circuit, causing a gas cylinder to explode in the factory and the roof to collapse.

Factory director Shishir Garg informed the fire station following which fire tenders were deployed.

He said fire fighters recovered the charred bodies of three teenage workers, which are yet to be identified, while three others identified as Amit (19), Ajit (16) and Vishal (20) died at hospital.

Three labourers identified as Manoj (18), Priyanshu (19) and Luv-Kush (19) are still reported missing.

Those injured were identified as Rohit (22), Shivam (19), Ravi (24), Vishal (20) and Surendra (22), all residents of Kanpur Dehat, the officer said, adding they have a list of workers who were inside the factory when the fire broke out.

An FIR has been registered against three directors of the factory, but no arrest has been made.

Fire officer (Mati) Krishan Kumar lodged the FIR at Rania police station against three directors identified as Reena Agarwal and her two sons Shashank Garg and Shishir Garg under sections 106 (1) (negligent act causing death of any person), 125 (b) (any act endangering human life) and 287 (doing any act with fire or any inflammable substance endangering human life) of the BNS.