Delhi: Three dead, six injured as fire breaks out in Narela food processing unit

Three workers were killed and six injured after a fire broke out and caused a blast in a food processing unit in the Narela Industrial Area early Saturday, the Delhi Police said.

A distress call was received by the police at 3:35 am about the fire at Shayam Kripa Foods Private Limited, a factory processing dry moong dal.

The fire engulfed the factory, trapping several workers inside, according to a police officer.

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Fourteen fire tenders were dispatched, and the blaze was extinguished by noon, a Delhi Fire Services official said.

Nine people were rescued from the building and admitted to Satyawadi Raja Harish Chandra Hospital in Narela. Three of them — Shyam (24), Ram Singh (30), and Beerpal (42) — were declared dead, while the others are receiving treatment.

The injured — Pushpender (26), Akash (19), Mohit Kumar (21), Ravi Kumar (19), Monu (25), and Lalu (32) — are being treated for burn injuries at Safdarjung Hospital.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire started due to a gas leak from one of the pipelines supplying gas to burners used for roasting the moong dal. As the fire spread, it caused a compressor to overheat, resulting in a blast.

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The factory owners, identified as Rohini residents Ankit Gupta and Vinay Gupta, are under investigation. A case is being registered under appropriate sections, the officer said. (With inputs from PTI)