4 killed as fire engulfs multiple floors of shoe factory in Delhi's Mangolpuri

At least four people died and two others were injured after a fire broke out at a shoe manufacturing factory in Delhi's Mangolpuri Industrial Area Phase-I on Friday night.The victims and injured were found unconscious inside the factory and were rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Mangolpuri, where four were declared dead. The remaining two are undergoing treatment.According to the Delhi Police, the fire broke out at around 9.30 pm at B-293/294 in Mangolpuri Industrial Area Phase-I. Police personnel and multiple fire tenders rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. Firefighters worked for several hours to bring the blaze under control.A total of six people were rescued from inside the factory in an unconscious condition. All of them were immediately shifted to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital for medical attention. Doctors subsequently declared four of them dead, while two others remained under treatment. According to preliminary information, around 20 to 25 people were present inside the factory when the fire broke out. While 18 to 19 people managed to escape in time, six others remained trapped inside the building.FIRE SPREADS FROM GROUND FLOOR TO THIRD FLOORThe fire reportedly started on the ground floor and in the basement before spreading to the third floor of the factory. The presence of chemicals and raw materials used in shoe manufacturing is suspected to have contributed to the rapid spread of the flames. Several fire tenders were deployed to tackle the blaze, while firefighters carried out rescue operations to evacuate those trapped inside the premises.The fire was subsequently brought under control, although search and rescue operations continued to ensure that no one else remained trapped inside the building.POLICE BEGIN INVESTIGATION INTO FIREThe Delhi Police said appropriate legal action was being taken in connection with the incident. The cause of the fire has not yet been officially established.Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the conditions inside the factory and the availability of adequate fire safety arrangements.The incident has once again brought attention to fire safety measures in Delhi's industrial areas, particularly in factories where combustible materials and chemicals are stored.Further details about the identities of the deceased and the injured, as well as the exact cause of the fire, are awaited.- EndsWith inputs from Rajesh Khatri