Rajasthan: 7 workers burned to death in chemical plant fire
What's the story
A devastating fire has engulfed a chemical manufacturing plant in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan's industrial hub, killing seven workers. The incident took place in the Khushkhera-Karoli industrial area of Bhiwadi on Monday. Local authorities discovered the blaze during a routine police patrol and immediately called fire and rescue teams to the scene. Around 25 workers were present at the site. Fire station in-charge Raju Khan confirmed that cooling operations continued for hours even after firefighters brought the blaze under control.
Ongoing rescue
Cause of fire yet to be ascertained
Sumita Mishra, Additional District Magistrate of the area, said that nine people were trapped inside the plant. "Seven bodies have been taken out so far," she said. The cause of this tragic incident is still unknown but industrial accidents in this region are usually caused by chemical reactions or short circuits.
Factory
Factory had been closed for several months
Per TOI, the factory had been closed for several months. It was rented out by its owner to a tenant who allegedly manufactured firecrackers illegally. When smoke was spotted rising from inside the factory around 10:00am on Monday morning, a police patrol vehicle noticed the fire. Eyewitnesses reported hearing three to four loud explosions during the blaze, which quickly intensified due to a large stock of gunpowder and cardboard stored inside the factory.