Bawana fire: How inhuman working conditions saved the lives of these three women

Inhuman working conditions at the firecracker factory in northwest Delhi’s Bawana probably saved the lives of three women – two of whom had joined on the same day of the fire that killed 17 people.

As per an Indian Express report, the three women, identified as Meena, Chanchal and Rekha left work an hour early, protesting the ‘hazardous’ working conditions. They had an argument with their supervisor, citing difficulties in breathing because of the gunpowder in the air.

In addition, the women said that they were employed without providing any documents such as identity proof. They also alleged that they were also unaware of the nature of the job, or that it included handling explosives.

DNA had even learnt that the shutters of the factory were down before the fire broke out. There was no escape route as the blaze ripped through the two-storeyed structure in North Delhi's Bawana, multiple sources and workers said on Sunday. Only a small door, part of the main gate, was open, but it was too small to be of any help. "The lockdown was usual, primarily to prevent workers from stealing articles or shirking work," said a surviving labourer.

Chief Fire Officer GC Mishra also said that a charred body was found near the shutter, suggesting that there were efforts to open it. "Had the shutter not been down, it would have been an easy escape route," he said.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal said Principal Secretary (Home) will conduct a detailed inquiry into the tragedy. Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik also handed over the probe to the Crime Branch as the case "requires extensive investigation and a detailed follow-up".

The warehouse's licence was rejected in 2014. It started operating illegally a fortnight ago, sources said. The Delhi government said the warehouse was originally supposed to be a plastic goods factory.

It was a grade-four fire that means it was not big. But explosions took place inside the cracker packaging unit that resulted in casualties. Eleven bodies were recovered from the first floor. Two bodies were recovered from the staircase, three on the ground floor and another in the basement.

Eleven bodies have been identified. Doctors said the 11 identified had 30-40% burn injuries, while the others were completely charred.

Ten women were among the victims. Meanwhile, warehouse owner Manoj Jain, who had been arrested on Saturday night, was sent to one-day judicial custody. DCP Rajneesh Gupta said Jain was taken into custody after a brief interrogation as the police filed an FIR against him for negligent conduct and culpable homicide not amounting to murder. A forensic team reached the spot to investigate the reason for the fire, he said.

"Jain runs the factory which he had taken on rent since January 1 this year," said Gupta, adding that as per an injured labourer, packing of crackers was being done in the building.

Delhi industries and urban development minister Satyendar Jain told reporters that a probe committee has been formed and strict action will be taken after the report is submitted.

It took three hours for the Delhi Fire Services to douse the fire with the help of 80 fire fighters, 16 civil defence employees and 13 ambulances from the Delhi Government's Centralised Accident Trauma Services (CATS).

Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken on Sunday visited the site of the tragic fire incident in Bawana that claimed 17 lives and demanded a judicial probe into the incident.

He also questioned Delhi government's agencies and said their role in the tragedy should be probed.

"We demand judicial probe. The role of Delhi government's agencies Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (DSIIDC) and the pollution department cannot be investigated impartially in a magisterial inquiry," he told reporters at the site.