The youngest and the only earning member of the family, 21-year-old Brijkishore was saving money for his elder brother’s wedding next month. On Thursday, Brijkishore’s plans came to a tragic end when he was charred to death in a fire that gutted a paint factory in North Delhi’s Alipur.
Brijkishore, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh, was among the 11 workers who were charred to death late on Thursday evening after they got trapped in the factory, the shutter of which was locked from inside.
“My cousin started working at the factory only a few days ago. He was saving money for his elder brother’s wedding next month. I am going to pick up his parents from the railway station. How will I tell them that their son was killed in a fire?” asked Brijkishore’s cousin, Asharam, in a choked voice.
Suraj, who recently quit his job at the factory after falling ill due to the hazardous chemicals used there, said, “It was a horrifying scene. People trapped inside the factory were screaming and banging the shutter. The flames were so high that we could not go anywhere near them.”
The father of 19-year-old Shubham, who lost his life in the incident, said, “My wife died 14 years ago. Since then I have been taking care of my family. Shubham was my youngest son. I do not want any compensation, just give my son back to me.”
According to locals, the fire broke out after more than 30 drums filled with chemicals exploded due to a spark caused by the welding work being carried out at the factory.
“The chemical had flown into the drains because of which the fire spread in the nearby houses and shops,” Krishna Kumar, an eyewitness, said.Locals complained that there are many factories in the area that lack proper safety arrangements.
A resident of the area said, “We are afraid that such an incident may take place again. There is another factory here that deals with polythene and leather. These factories should not be allowed to function in residential areas.”
Meanwhile, relatives of victims of the explosion and fire incident and some residents alleged that several complaints were made about fire safety in Dayalpur market area in Alipur here but “no one paid any attention”.
Devendra Saini, a nurse at the drug rehabilitation centre, said the work at the paint factory, where fire broke out, mostly involves use of inflammable substances and multiple complaints were submitted by them.
“By the time police reached the spot, damage was already done. We made several complaints earlier regarding our concerns but nothing happened. This is a place where fire catches easier than petrol. Government always engages in blame game, how can we expect help from them?” he asked.
“Paint work includes mostly inflammable substances and that factory was situated so close to us. We raised concerns but nobody paid attention,” Saini alleged. He further said that when the blast took place, the entire area was engulfed by fire instantly. “We could not do anything about it,” he said.
The fire was preceded by a blast and soon it spread to nearby buildings, including the drug rehabilitation centre and eight shops. One of the victims’ family members Malti said the bodies were charred beyond recognition.
“My husband’s brother was there at the factory when it caught fire. We couldn’t even recognise the bodies.
They were charred beyond recognition,” she said.
Another family member of a victim said they have not been informed by the police whether their kin has survived or not and they have no information about where the deceased and the injured were taken.
“My nephew is one of the victims. Police didn’t even tell us where the injured and deceased have been taken. We asked if he is dead or alive but the police did not even tell us that,” Ekta (55) said. A fire official said a call about the blaze was received around 5:30 pm on Thursday and 22 fire tenders were pressed into service. The fire was brought under control by 9 pm, he said.
Rajesh, an eyewitnesses who lives nearby, said she was near the gate of her home when the blast took place and all she could do at that moment was to run away with her children and save their lives.
“I was sitting outside my house near the gate and suddenly noticed smoke fumes. The fire reached my gate and I alerted my family members and children to run inside. Who do we file complaint with? Nobody listens to us. We couldn’t help others, I ran away with my children. Saving them was my only concern,” she said.
Sarala, 58, one of the neighbours who was also present at the spot when the blast took place, said, “We were worried about saving our families. My son had just woken up and he alerted us about the fire.”