Six workers died and several others sustained severe burn injuries in a devastating fire at a mattress factory in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, according to police. Firefighters successfully rescued six workers, who were rushed to the hospital.
The charred remains of the deceased were retrieved by firefighters conducting searches through the debris of collapsed walls and structures. The bodies were sent for post-mortem. An FIR has been lodged against three directors of the factory.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the news of the death of many workers in the foam factory in Kanpur is very sad.
“I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families, hope for a speedy recovery of the injured. The state government and the administration are requested to conduct a high-level investigation of this accident and provide immediate compensation and assistance to the families of the victims,” Gandhi said in a post on Facebook.
Kanpur Dehat Superintendent of Police (SP) BBGTS Murthy said the fire broke out at RP Poly Plast Pvt Ltd on Khanpur Khadanja Road in Rania on Saturday due to a short circuit, causing a gas cylinder to explode in the factory and the roof to collapse.
“At the time the fire broke out, 15 workers were present in the factory during the night shift. The fire was reported around 7.15 am, and two fire engines were rushed to the site,” Kanpur Dehat District Officer (DO) Alok Kumar Singh said and added that a case has been registered and an investigation is underway.
The fire officer filed the FIR against directors Reena Agarwal and her two sons Shashank Garg and Shishir Garg under sections 106 (1) (negligent act causing death of any person), 125 (b) (any act endangering human life) and 287 (doing any act with fire or any inflammable substance endangering human life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Singh said strict action will be taken against those whose negligence caused the fire. “The factory operator has been absconding since the incident. We are trying to trace him at the earliest,” he added.
