Fire at shoe factory in Delhi's Mangolpuri kills 4, police register culpable homicide case

A major fire broke out at a shoe-manufacturing factory in the Mangolpuri Industrial Area Phase-I of northwest Delhi, resulting in the deaths of four workers and injuries to two others. A total of eight people were inside the multi-storey building when the blaze erupted in the basement late Friday night. Thick smoke quickly spread through the lift shaft, trapping the victims while they were inside.

Investigators and fire officials discovered severe safety violations at the premises, including a single cluttered staircase, blocked pathways, a lack of ventilation, and an absence of adequate fire-safety arrangements and a fire NOC. While municipal corporation officials stated the factory held a valid licence and a pollution control committee NOC, police found that conditions failed to provide any safe means of escape.

Following the incident, Delhi Police registered a case under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, alongside other relevant sections. Authorities arrested two individuals, including a co-owner and a supervisor who also supplied labourers. Police teams are actively searching for other suspects, including the co-owner's son, who remain absconding.

Not yet reported: The reports do not specify the final medical prognosis of the injured workers or the eventual outcome of the search for the absconding partner.