Four persons died while three others sustained injuries after a building housing plastic item manufacturing units caught fire in Delhi’s Rohini area (Rithala) on the evening of Tuesday. After a 15-hour-long operation on Wednesday, the blaze was finally doused. Preliminary reports from the site suggest that the cause of the fire is suspected to be a short circuit in the building.

The police said in a statement that the owner of the building, Suresh Bansal, and his son, Nitin Bansal, ran the factory on the ground and first floors. The incident left Nitin Bansal (31) injured.

Delhi Fire Service (DFS) officials, who received a call regarding the fire at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, are also investigating the possibility of the fire being triggered by a self-immolation attempt by a factory worker. The deceased are yet to be identified by the police.

Around 1:30 AM on Wednesday, three charred bodies were recovered from the burnt premises of the manufacturing unit. Later, another charred body was recovered. “We will be conducting DNA tests if required. We are waiting for the family members of the victims to approach,” a senior police inspector told national media. An officer at the mortuary of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital also told national media, “No family members of the deceased have approached us so far.”

People Injured

The two others injured, besides Nitin Bansal, have been identified as 25-year-old Virender and 30-year-old Rakesh, both sustaining 80% burns. All the workers injured are suspected to be migrant workers.

According to locals, the four-storey building manufactured carry bags on the ground and first floors, napkins on the second floor, and perfumes on the third floor. All these items are inflammable substances. The terrace of the building was covered by tin sheds, which blocked possible escape routes. Approximately 6 to 7 workers were working on the ground floor and another 4 to 5 on the first floor when the fire started.