Major factory fire in Delhi leaves several trapped
January 2, 2020
A building in the Peera Garhi area in western Delhi caught fire and collapsed on Thursday, causing injuries to at least 12 people, mainly firefighters, according to local media.
Firefighters were battling the blaze when a part of the building collapsed on them.
Fire officials said three people were recovered from the building debris as a rescue operation was underway.
An eyewitness told a local news channel he heard an explosion around 5 a.m. in the area. Soon afterward, the TV channel reported that the factory building collapsed.
"Very sad to hear this. I'm closely monitoring the situation. The fire personnel are trying their best. Praying for the safety of those trapped," said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
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Poor safety standards are a frequent cause of fires in India. On December 23, a fire that broke out at a warehouse in New Delhi killed nine people and injured at least three other. In early December, at least 43 people were killed when a fire engulfed a building in New Delhi's Karol Bagh area. The blaze was believed to be caused by an electrical short circuit.
shs/aw (AP, AFP)