PIONEER NEWS SERVICE/ Haridwar
A person died and another suffered severe burns after fire broke out in a firecracker factory located in Mooldaspur Urf Majra village within Bahadarabad police station limits on Wednesday. Besides, five cows, including a calf- tethered in the nearby cowshed- also perished in the fire while ten more cattle were burnt. On hearing the loud explosion, the people in the neighbourhood rushed to the spot.
From the wreckage of the factory, screams were being heard, a local said, adding that they had promptly informed the fire department. Several fire tenders from the nearby fire stations reached and got engaged in putting out the fire. The fire staffers said that they found it difficult to douse the fire owing to several factors. It took them an hour to put out the blaze partially.
The police said that the deceased was identified as Deepchand (38), a worker. He was taken to Haridwar’s Bhumanand Hospital with severe burn injuries where doctors had declared him dead. Others who were injured in the fire are being treated in the same hospital, police said, adding that one of the injured was critical.
Haridwar’s chief fire officer (CFO), Vansh Bahadur Yadav said that goods worth lakhs of rupees kept in the factory had been reduced to ashes. “The license and the safety standards of the factory are being investigated,” he added.
Asked what had caused the fire, he said that it was yet to be ascertained. “Investigation is underway,” he said.
