Fire at Nawada crockery factory kills two

Two persons were killed and another injured after a major fire broke out at a crockery manufacturing unit in the Nawada area late on Monday night. The factory was running illegally and hence did not have a valid fire NOC.

According to the police, the deceased have been identified as Satinder Kumar (35) and Arvind Kumar (39). Chandan (27) sustained minor burn injuries and was treated at the DDU hospital.

"A call regarding fire was received around 10 pm on Monday night. It took 12 fire tenders to douse the fire. The fire was doused by around 12 am," said a fire official.

The crockery manufacturing factory was spread in an area of around 200 square yards. Fire officials stated that as the lanes were narrow and a weekly market was also set up so it was difficult to reach the factory.

Investigating officials stated that the cause of the fire could be a possible short-circuit and the labourers were trapped and could have died of asphyxiation. When the fire occurred there was no electricity in the area and sometimes people were heard screaming for help and the factory up in flames. "The factory was being run illegally and did not even have a fire NOC. A case against the owner of the factory has been registered. The case is being investigated from all angles," said a senior police official.

Locals claimed that some workers who worked in the factory were missing. They also alleged that the factory was locked from outside and hence it was difficult to escape for the workers. Even in Bawana where 17 persons died in a fire at a factory, the doors were locked from outside. A similar situation was seen in Sultanpuri where lives of four labouers were claimed in a major fire earlier this month.