Bawana Factory Fire: 17 Dead, 1 Arrested, NDMC Mayor Preeti Aggarwal Caught on Video Trying to Cover-up
Three fire incidents were reported from the Bawana area today, and in two of those, there have been no reports of any casualty so far.
New Delhi, January 21: The massive blaze at a plastic factory in outer Delhi’s Bawana industrial area on Saturday evening claimed lives of 17 people and injured 2. The massive fire ripped the two-storey building that was a house to cracker and rubber manufacturing units. As per details by Delhi fire services officials, the blaze started from a firecracker factory which has a rubber factory atop it on the second storey. The police have so far confirmed 17 deaths in the fire. The Delhi Fire Services received a call about the fire at the factory around 6.20 pm and 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot. "The firefighters have removed 17 bodies," a Delhi Fire Services official said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said he is keeping a “close watch” on the rescue operations and announced an ex-gratia of Rs.5 lakhs to the family of the deceased. “The loss is irreparable. The Delhi government will give ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lakhs to the family of the people, killed in the fire and Rs. 1 lakh to the injured,” he added.
- Victims
17 people including 10 women were feared dead in the blaze that engulfed a building in Bawana industrial area in Delhi on Saturday. Two others - a man and a woman, however, managed to escape as they jumped from the terrace of the building as the fire spread. Reports state that the two have sustained injuries. As per reports, the fire was of category four which means it was not a big fire. However, explosions took place inside the factory that resulted in the casualties.
2. Owner of factory arrested:
The owner of the factory Manoj Jain has been arrested by the Delhi police on Sunday morning. Jain was taken into police custody on Saturday after a massive fire broke out at a firecracker unit in outer Delhi’s Bawana industrial area killing 17 people and injuring two.
“Manoj Jain has been apprehended. As per the information, the two partners were there. Manoj Jain and Lalit Goel. It is to be verified whether they are the owners or have taken the premises on rent,” Rohini Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajneesh Gupta said.
3. NDMC Mayor Preeti Aggarwal caught on Cam
The Mayor of North Delhi, Preeti Aggarwal has got into a controversy after she was caught on camera cautioning the officials from speaking against the firecracker factory blaze in Delhi's Bawana Industrial Area. In the video that went viral in social media, Aggarwal is believed to be cautioning the officials from saying anything on the matter as the factory was registered with the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC).
Aggarwal, who had visited the spot to take stock of the situation, was heard telling officials before talking to ANI, "Is factory ki license humare paas hai, isliye kuch nai bolna. (The license of this factory is with us, so we should not speak against it.)
Dependra Pathak, Delhi Police PRO on Sunday said that 17 people have been killed in a very unfortunate incident yesterday. “Delhi Police registered case under 304, 285 & explosives act & arrested the person who took this place on rent on January 1 & was doing this work illegally”, he was quoted by ANI.
As per reports, the industrial area recorded three fires on Saturday – the first around 4 pm in a carpet manufacturing company in Sector 1, the second in the firecracker unit in Sector 5, and the third in Sector 3 at 7.30pm. “We had received three calls. One was from 3:55 at Sector 1 from a carpet manufacturing company, the second was at 6:20 from bomb storage factory and third was at 7:35 from Sector 3,” said GC Mishra director, fire department.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed grief over the death of 17 people in a fire incident at Bawana Industrial Area in the outskirts of Delhi. Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister Modi said, “Deeply anguished by the fire at a factory in Bawana. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives. May those who are injured recover quickly.”
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 21, 2018 10:04 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).