North Delhi paint factory fire kills 11, Fire service says barricades for farmers' protest delayed

A tragic incident occurred in north Delhi's Alipur area when a massive fire broke out at a paint factory, claiming the lives of eleven people and injuring four others. Despite swift response from authorities, the blaze raged for hours, impacting adjacent structures.

Eleven people lost their lives and four were injured in the massive fire that engulfed a paint factory located in Dayalpur Market, Alipur area of north Delhi on Thursday evening. Authorities responded to the emergency, dispatching 22 fire tenders to the scene upon receiving the distress call at 5:25 pm.

The inferno, believed to have originated from the factory's ground floor, raged for four hours before firefighters managed to bring it under control. Despite their efforts, the intensity of the blaze impacted adjacent houses' walls. Initial investigations suggest the factory lacked adequate firefighting equipment and had only a single staircase, possibly exacerbating the tragedy.

Officials confirmed that the deceased individuals, whose identities remain unknown, suffered severe burns and were transferred to Babu Jagjeevan Ram Hospital. Meanwhile, the injured received medical attention at Raja Harish Chandra Hospital.

Atul Garg, director of Delhi Fire Services (DFS), revealed that 150 firefighters were deployed to combat the blaze. He noted that the factory did not possess a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for fire safety. Furthermore, the structure housed several shops and a rehabilitation center, all of which collapsed due to the fire.

Authorities are conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire, with initial assessments pointing to a potential ignition near the staircase's entry point, trapping workers inside. Complicating the rescue efforts were traffic snarls caused by barricades erected for ongoing farmers' protests, leading to delays in the arrival of fire tenders.

While police have registered a case and launched a search for further clues, efforts are underway to identify the deceased victims.