17 killed in fire at cracker factory in Delhi’s Bawana, Kejriwal govt orders probe

New Delhi, January 20

Seventeen people are feared dead after a fire ripped through a two-storey factory in outer Delhi's Bawana industrial area this evening, a Delhi Fire Services official said.

The police have so far confirmed nine deaths in the fire.

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The official said, the blaze, which started from a firecracker factory, has been brought under control.

The rescue operations are underway as more people are suspected trapped inside the factory, the official added.

The Delhi Fire Services received a call about the fire at the factory around 6.20 pm and 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot, the official said.

According to the official there is a rubber factory on the second storey above the firecracker factory.

North Delhi Mayor Preety Agarwal has rushed to the spot, a senior NDMC official said.

"The factory falls in the Delhi State Industrial And Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) area. North Delhi Mayor Preety Agarwal has rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation," the official said.

Delhi govt orders inquiry; CM keeping ‘close watch’

The Delhi government has ordered an inquiry into the blaze at a private factory in outer Delhi's Bawana industrial area, even as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said he is keeping a "close watch" on the rescue operations.

Expressing his grief over the "large number of casualties" in the fire, chief minister Kejriwal said he is keeping a "close watch" on the rescue operations.

V sad to hear abt large no of casualties. Keeping a close watch on rescue operations https://t.co/yHwQAH0bKi

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 20, 2018

"V(ery) sad to hear abt large no of casualties. Keeping a close watch on rescue operations," Kejriwal said in a tweet.

According to the Delhi Fire Services officials, seventeen people were feared dead in the blaze that engulfed a building in Bawana industrial area, housing a cracker and rubber manufacturing units.

Delhi Urban Development minister Satyendar Jain said an inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

"Learnt about a serious fire incident in a private factory at Bawana. Several casualties reported. Monitoring the situation. Ordered enquiry," Jain tweeted. — PTI