Major fire at factory in Faridabad; 35 rushed to hospitals

Faridabad: More than 35 people were rushed to hospitals with burns after a massive fire at a factory in Sector 24 on Monday afternoon, officials said.

All of them were workers, except two, who were policemen involved in the firefight.

The fire broke out at around 4 pm when a spark landed in a drum filled with chemicals leading to a series of explosions.

Blaze spread quickly, engulfing the entire factory, and completely gutting a part of the factory, which used CNC machines to cut steel plates, officials said.

An eyewitness said that there were about 20-25 drums, which exploded one after another. Blasts reduced two-wheelers and cars parked within a 100-metre radius to smoldering skeletons.

Several fire brigade were pressed into operation. The conflagration had been put out by the time this report was filed.

Of the injured, 12 were admitted to the Badshah Khan Government Hospital and the rest to private hospitals.

Meanwhile, the police launched an investigation and are questioning the factory owner.