The factory in Jhilmil industrial area did not possess a no-objection certificate (NoC) and was not equipped with firefighting measures, the fire department said on Saturday.
East Delhi Municipal Corporation said that they will be conducting a detailed investigation into the case. Ranen Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Factory Licence Department of EDMC, said that the licence of the factory had already expired and it was not renewed.
NoC norms
“The factory was operating in the area of 110 sq metres and a fire NoC is not required for the area below 250 sq metre as per norms,” he said.
A factory worker who was inside at the time of the incident and did not wish to be named said that there were about 40-50 people inside the factory when the fire broke out.
The factory comprises basement, ground floor and three floors above.
“The workers had just started coming in as the factory opens at 9 a.m. and we saw smoke. Everyone started panicking and leaving the building from the main entry,” he said, adding that the factory has been running for the last 20 years.
Packaging material
The superviser, Pradeep, said that packaging material, including cardboard, used to be kept on the ground floor in a godown while manufacturing of taps used to take place on the first, second and third floors.
The police said that the fire broke on the first floor and spread massively to second and third floors.
“Two victims were recovered from the first floor and one woman from the second floor. It was revealed that one of the victims Sangeeta had come downstairs and was about to exit the building but went back to get her mobile phone which she had forgotten,” said a fire official.
