Mangolpuri fire: Four dead in Delhi shoe factory, homicide case filed

Four people were killed and two were injured when a fire broke out at a shoe factory in Mangolpuri Industrial Area Phase-1 in northwest Delhi on Friday night (30 October), police said.

The fire department received a call about the blaze around 9.30 pm. Officials said the fire started in the basement of the building. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot, and the fire was brought under control in the early hours of Saturday.

“A total of six people were found trapped and unconscious inside the factory. They were immediately shifted to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Mangolpuri for treatment. Out of the six, four were declared dead, and the remaining two people are still under treatment,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Vikram Singh said.

According to preliminary information reported by India Today, 20 to 25 people were inside the factory when the fire broke out, and most of them managed to escape. Chemicals and raw materials used in making shoes are suspected to have helped the flames spread quickly. The exact cause has not yet been confirmed.

Police have registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligence. “We have registered a case and are probing the exact sequence of events leading to the fire to fix responsibility and accordingly take legal action,” the DCP said.

On Saturday morning, police said they had apprehended two people in connection with the fire, The Indian Express reported. Police said other accused persons are absconding and several teams are working to trace them. Authorities are also examining conditions inside the factory and whether it had adequate fire safety arrangements, India Today reported.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta expressed grief over the deaths. “The loss of lives in the unfortunate fire incident in Mangolpuri is extremely sad and painful. In this difficult hour, my deepest condolences are with the bereaved families,” she said in a statement.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination, and the two injured people remain in hospital.