Shimla, Feb 2 (PTI) Thirty-two people were injured and some feared trapped in a factory in the Baddi industrial area of Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district after a fire broke out there on Friday afternoon, officials said.
More than 50 people were in the factory when the fire broke out and 32 of them sustained injuries, said Solan Deputy Commissioner Manmohan Sharma.
“People jumped from the first and the second floor of the building to save their lives and sustained multiple injuries on hands, legs and even spine,” he said while talking to reporters at the spot, and added that the reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained and a forensic team is on the job.
“Some ran away to their homes and their names are being verified while several others are still missing and attempts are being made to trace them,” said Solan Deputy Commissioner Manmohan Sharma.
Adjacent buildings have been vacated and the area has been cordoned off, he added.
Five with critical injuries were rushed to the PGI Chandigarh, six to ESI Katha, two to the Baddi Hospital and 19 are under treatment at the Brooklyn Hospital, a spokesperson of the state government said.
So far the administration has released a list of 30 injured people which included 21 women while the names of two people admitted at the Baddi Hospital are awaited. Five workers rushed to PGI with critical injuries included Arti, Geeta, Prem Kumari, Pinky and Charan Singh.
When questioned about the alleged delay in rushing the fire tenders, Sharma said that 12-13 fire tenders were rushed to the spot from Nalagarh, Baddi and Parwanoo, Haryana, the Chandimandir Army station and even the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has reached the spot at Jhadmazri and joined the rescue operations.
Thick smoke oozing from the cosmetic material was hindering the fire-fighting operations, and workers have climbed on top of the building for safety, eyewitnesses said.
The fire tenders, which fought the fire for several hours, were having a hard time dousing the flames as inflammable substances used for manufacturing of perfumes and other cosmetics were also catching fire. PTI BPL MNK — MNK MNK
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