Atleast seven people were burnt alive in a fire at an illegal firecracker manufacturing in the Bhiwadi town of Rajasthan's Khairthal-Tijara district on Monday, PTI reported.
"Seven persons have died in the incident. It was a garment factory but firecrackers were being manufactured inside it illegally," Sumitra Pareek, Additional District Magistrate, told PTI. She also confirmd that two people were trapped in the factory.
"The premises was leased out in the name of a garment factory but as per the preliminary report, firecrackers were being manufactured illegally," she added.
The Additional District Magistrate said that the police came to know about the incident during a routine patrol, following which a rescue operation was launched immediately.
District Collector Artika Shukla and other senior district administration and police officials rushed to the spot. Shukla ordered an inquiry in the matter.
As per the preliminary report, there were more than 20 people inside the factory at the time of the incident.
As soon as the fire broke out, many workers managed to come out, while nine were trapped. Seven of them were burnt alive. The fire was brought under control after more than one-and-a-half hour. Some skeletons were also recovered.
CM Bhajanlal Sharma instructed district administrations to carry out relief and rescue work immediately.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of the factory workers and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
The fire mishap in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan, is tragic and deeply saddening, the Prime Minister's Office said on X, quoting Modi.
"My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured," the prime minister said.
Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra urged the government and the administration to take immediate action on the matter, where he also pointed to an earlier similar accident in Ajmer, where 16 people were killed after a chemical tanker overturned. He stated that such incidents have become common under the present government.
"In the district of Khairthal-Tijara, in Bhiwadi, a chemical factory caught fire and killed 8-10 people. Many people have been injured. There has been heavy damage... The government and administration should take immediate action. After the formation of the government, as you have seen, on Ajmer Road, a chemical tanker was overturned. More than 16 people were killed. In Jaipur, in SMS, in ICU, people were burnt to death... This has become a common thing, but the government is not paying attention to this. This is a very serious matter," Dotasara told ANI.
Former CM Ashok Gehlot and Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully also expressed condolences on the death of seven labourers.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)