Nazirabad fire: 21 dead, 28 missing; owner arrested for negligence
A massive fire broke out early January 26 in Nazirabad, Anandapur, gutting two warehouses—one for Pushpanjali Decorators and one leased by Wow! Momo.
The blaze started in a thermocol-filled godown and quickly spread to the neighboring unit with food supplies and packaging.
Out of 37 people working that night, only three made it out alive. By January 29, at least 21 were confirmed dead and more than 20 were reported missing.
The owner of Pushpanjali Decorators was arrested for alleged negligence.
Why it matters
This tragedy exposed big gaps in workplace safety—there were no fire licenses, and accounts differed on whether extinguishers were present, despite claims by Wow! Momo that they followed rules.
Officials pointed to unsafe practices and lack of safety clearances as reasons the fire turned deadly, while locals alleged locked exits.
The state announced ₹10 lakh compensation per victim's family, but critics say this doesn't address the deeper issue of neglecting worker safety, especially for migrants who are most at risk.