Two cops, 2 fire department officials among injured in Delhi's Anaj Mandi fire

Reuters photo

New Delhi: At least forty-three people were killed in New Delhi on Sunday when a fire swept through a six-storey factory where labourers were sleeping, government officials said. Around 62 people were taken out by rescuers from the building that caught fire in the wee hours of Sunday. Among those injured included two policemen and two officials of fire department, confirmed Delhi Police PRO.

The factory was making handbags and lots of raw material was stored inside the building due to which the fire spread quickly, media reported. However, no details were immediately available on the cause of the fire. Nearly 50 fire tenders were rushed to the spot and injured were admitted in four nearby hospitals, he said. The factory was operating in a congested residential area.

"Till now we have rescued more than 50 people, most of them were affected due to smoke," Atul Garg, an official with Delhi Fire Services told reporters.

"Have instructed concerned authorities to provide all possible assistance on urgent basis," Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in a tweet.

The fire was doused and a team of National Disaster Response Force was searching the factory to find out if any more people were trapped, a police official told ANI.

The Delhi state government will conduct a probe and action will be taken against those responsible for the fire, Imran Hussain, minister of food and civil supplies, told reporters.