Mumbai: Four people were killed and two sustained injuries when a major fire broke out at the Harihar Complex industrial compound in Dapoda, Bhiwandi, on Sunday. The injured have been admitted to hospital, police said.
They said the fire broke out around noon in a bead-making factory owned by Ajay Dehiya. According to the Bhiwandi fire department, the first call came around 11.55 a.m., and two fire tenders were sent to the spot. Fire tenders were also called in from Kalyan, officials said.
They added that the exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Sources in the Bhiwandi fire brigade say a boiler in the factory burst and chemicals fell into a container containing colour kept nearby, causing the fire. The victims, all workers, were in the vicinity.
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The police, however, said the fire was caused by a short-circuit. “There are reports that some women working in the factory saw a small fire in the electric wires. Till we get more details, we will not be able to file a case against the owners,” Senior PI A.C. Jadhav, Narpoli police station, said. He added that a case of accidental death has been registered.
According to the police, 16 workers were in the factory when the fire broke out. “We will know the safety violations by the factory owners that led to the fire in a couple of days,” Mr. Jadhav said.