Baddi blaze: No fire alarms or safety equipment, allege injured
“There were no alarms, no fire safety equipment and no fire exit and faced with imminent danger, some had no choice but to leap from windows and terraces to escape the relentless flames,” said Raj Singh, a worker who narrowly escaped from the massive blaze at the perfume factory in Himachal’s Solan district.While a woman, identified as Pinky, was bright dead to Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), four others were admitted in critical condition. They are under treatment at the trauma centre.Raj Singh, 25, a resident of Madawala, Baddi, recounted the incident and said that the harrowing experience left an indelible mark on him, emphasising the need for proper safety measures to avoid such tragic situations.Raj had finished his meal and stepped outside the factory for a stroll. Suddenly, he observed smoke emerging from the building. He rushed towards the factory, but upon entering, was choked by smoke, forcing him to retreat and vomit. Subsequently, he moved to the rear of the factory, where other workers were resorting to jumping to escape the dire situation.Raj Singh’s 22-year-old brother Charan Singh was inside the factory. According to him, his brother jumped from the roof of the building. Raj lifted him onto his shoulders and sprinted towards a private hospital nearby.Raj said that workers were heating a chemical in a drum when it overheated, leading to smoke. Harish entered the factory to inspect, resulting in an explosion that burnt his hand and feet. The blast accelerated the fire’s spread. Raj said the top floor of the three-storey building held packaging materials, such as cardboard, which quickly caught fire.Charan Singh is critical, having undergone surgery on his right leg with another procedure scheduled soon. He sustained injuries to his forehead, lips and head during the incident.Aarti, 25, faces backbone injury as she jumped from the second floor, doctors have recommended surgery. Prem Kumari, 27, suffered fractures in her hand and feet when she jumped from the first-floor window. Geeta, 25, also sustained a backbone injury.Aarti’s husband Balwant Singh said they belong to Moradabad in UP. He said that his wife was working in a factory from almost 2 years. They have three children and live in a rented accommodation in Baddi.Dharmendra Morya, a security guard from UP, said that after the incident, he found his wife, Prem Kumari at Lakkad Pull, nearly a kilometre away from the factory, after rushing to the scene upon hearing about the fire.Geeta’s husband Bhagat Ram, who works at a concrete company opposite NR Aroma (the perfume company), saw smoke emanating from the factory. He hurried towards the scene and learned that his wife had been taken to the hospital.Family members of the victims said that they used to receive a monthly income of 12,000 to 13,000 rupees for their 12-hour workdays. However, they express a firm decision not to return to the factory. They say that they are willing to manage on a single income, but cannot imagine raising their children without both parents.
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“There were no alarms, no fire safety equipment and no fire exit and faced with imminent danger, some had no choice but to leap from windows and terraces to escape the relentless flames,” said Raj Singh, a worker who narrowly escaped from the massive blaze at the perfume factory in Himachal’s Solan district.
While a woman, identified as Pinky, was bright dead to Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), four others were admitted in critical condition. They are under treatment at the trauma centre.
Raj Singh, 25, a resident of Madawala, Baddi, recounted the incident and said that the harrowing experience left an indelible mark on him, emphasising the need for proper safety measures to avoid such tragic situations.
Raj had finished his meal and stepped outside the factory for a stroll. Suddenly, he observed smoke emerging from the building. He rushed towards the factory, but upon entering, was choked by smoke, forcing him to retreat and vomit. Subsequently, he moved to the rear of the factory, where other workers were resorting to jumping to escape the dire situation.
Raj Singh’s 22-year-old brother Charan Singh was inside the factory. According to him, his brother jumped from the roof of the building. Raj lifted him onto his shoulders and sprinted towards a private hospital nearby.
Raj said that workers were heating a chemical in a drum when it overheated, leading to smoke. Harish entered the factory to inspect, resulting in an explosion that burnt his hand and feet. The blast accelerated the fire’s spread. Raj said the top floor of the three-storey building held packaging materials, such as cardboard, which quickly caught fire.
Charan Singh is critical, having undergone surgery on his right leg with another procedure scheduled soon. He sustained injuries to his forehead, lips and head during the incident.
Aarti, 25, faces backbone injury as she jumped from the second floor, doctors have recommended surgery. Prem Kumari, 27, suffered fractures in her hand and feet when she jumped from the first-floor window. Geeta, 25, also sustained a backbone injury.
Aarti’s husband Balwant Singh said they belong to Moradabad in UP. He said that his wife was working in a factory from almost 2 years. They have three children and live in a rented accommodation in Baddi.
Dharmendra Morya, a security guard from UP, said that after the incident, he found his wife, Prem Kumari at Lakkad Pull, nearly a kilometre away from the factory, after rushing to the scene upon hearing about the fire.
Geeta’s husband Bhagat Ram, who works at a concrete company opposite NR Aroma (the perfume company), saw smoke emanating from the factory. He hurried towards the scene and learned that his wife had been taken to the hospital.
Family members of the victims said that they used to receive a monthly income of 12,000 to 13,000 rupees for their 12-hour workdays. However, they express a firm decision not to return to the factory. They say that they are willing to manage on a single income, but cannot imagine raising their children without both parents.
