Ludhiana factory collapse: Death toll rises to 13, govt announces compensation

Ludhiana factory collapse: The death toll rose to 10 on Tuesday, as workers continued searching for at least 20 people feared trapped beneath the debris (Express Photo/Gurmeet Singh)

A day after a Ludhiana factory caught fire and collapsed, the death toll rose to 13, with at least 20 people still feared trapped beneath the debris. Two people were rescued and are undergoing treatment. A major fire broke out at the Amarson Polymers building at Mushtaq Ganj near Suffiana Chowk at around 8 am on Monday morning, four hours before the five-storey building collapsed. Several firemen, who had entered the building to douse the flames, are feared trapped.

Bhupinder Singh, assistant divisional fire officer, Ludhiana, on Monday had said, “There is no exact number of how many people are inside and missing. Nine men from our department were inside, among them two are dead and their bodies have been recovered.”

Among the deceased were Inderpal Singh, owner of Pal Taxi service who was a friend of the factory owner, senior fire officer Sumaon Gill and a fireman, Puran Singh. The fire officials were dousing the flames when the building collapsed. Seven officials are still missing.

Ludhiana factory collapse: Rescue operations underway at the Amarson Polymers building at Mushtaq Ganj near Suffiana Chowk (Express Photo/Gurmeet Singh)

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Inderjit Singh Gola, the owner of the factory, was taken to hospital on Monday after he suffered a heart attack.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday expressed shock at the incident. Taking to Twitter, he said, “Shocked and saddened at the Ludhiana factory collapse. Have asked district administration to extend all help to NDRF in rescue operations.”

He further announced the formation of a commission to investigate the matter and a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the families of the victims. “It’s an unfortunate incident. I hope all firemen, stuck in debris, are recovered. We have formed commission to probe the incident. We’ll give compensation of Rs 10 Lakh to the firemen & jobs to their families,” Singh said.

Meanwhile, Punjab’s Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu will visit the site and the families of the victims on Tuesday. Sidhu on Monday had assured action against officials from the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation “if the building is found to be illegally constructed.”

The police have registered an FIR against Inderjit Singh Gola, owner of Amarson Polymers under the section 304-A (causing death due to negligence) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) at division number 2 police station.  ACP (central) Mandeep Singh said, “An FIR have been registered on the statement of fire brigade officials. This is just a preliminary FIR and more sections can be added as probe progresses. Also, we will nominate more names after the
investigation.”

(With inputs from ENS)