Mangolpuri Horror: 4 Dead, 2 Injured in Massive Shoe Factory Blaze
Four people died and two were injured in a devastating fire at a footwear unit in Delhi's Mangolpuri Industrial Area. Read more here.
A devastating fire ripped through a footwear manufacturing unit in the Mangolpuri Industrial Area of Delhi on Friday night, leaving four people dead and two others fighting for their lives. The tragedy unfolded in Phase 1 of the industrial hub around 9:30 pm, turning a place of work into a scene of chaos and desperation.
The Night of the Blaze
The emergency services received a distress call between 9:31 pm and 9:32 pm reporting a massive fire inside the factory. Police personnel and multiple fire tender teams rushed to the spot immediately to launch a rescue operation. For hours, firefighters battled the flames to bring the situation under control.
The operation was fraught with danger due to thick, billowing smoke that filled the building, making visibility nearly impossible for the rescue teams.
Rescue Efforts and Casualties
During the operation, rescuers managed to pull six unconscious individuals from the depths of the smoke-filled structure. The rescue was a grueling process:
- One person was recovered from the third-floor staircase.
- Five others were rescued from the fourth floor.
All six victims were rushed to the Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Mangolpuri. However, the tragedy was confirmed upon arrival, as medical officials declared four of the rescued individuals dead. The remaining two are currently undergoing medical treatment.
Where the Fire Started
According to Fire Officer ADO Paras Kumar, the blaze originated in the basement of the footwear unit, where shoes are both produced and stored. The presence of combustible materials likely fueled the intensity of the fire.
Kumar noted that while the smoke spread rapidly to the upper floors—trapping workers in the process—the fire teams successfully contained the actual flames within the basement, preventing the entire structure from being engulfed.
"The fire has been completely extinguished, and the cooling-down process is currently underway," Kumar informed reporters.
Investigation and Legal Action
The police have launched a full-scale investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire. DCP of Outer District Vikram Singh stated that the authorities are working to establish exactly how many laborers were inside the factory at the time of the incident.
To uncover the truth, the police have taken the following steps:
- Summoned the factory owner for questioning.
- Interrogating the contractor and other workers.
- Analyzing the spread of smoke from the basement to the upper floors.
A Pattern of Fire Incidents
This tragedy follows another recent fire incident in the national capital. On October 25, a blaze broke out in the shanties of Rani Garden under the Geeta Colony Police Station's jurisdiction. While that incident resulted in no casualties, several hutments and all household belongings of the affected residents were reduced to ashes.