Bawana fire LIVE UPDATES: Seventeen people were killed, including seven women, in a fire that broke out at an illegal firecracker storage unit in Bawana Industrial Area of Delhi on Saturday evening. (Source: Express Photo)
Delhi police on Monday arrested Manoj Jain, owner of the illegal firecracker factory in Bawana Industrial area, a day after 17 people were killed in a blaze that broke out in the storage unit of the building.
Police said seven of the deceased have also been identified. Jain was running the factory since January 1 this year.
Police said that they apprehended Jain from his house on Saturday late night after the incident and booked him under sections 285 (Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter), 304 (Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 ( Causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC and Explosives Act at Bawana Police Station Station.
Meanwhile, Delhi Fire Services said that the fire may have been triggered by a running electric wire, but probe will reveal the cause of the incident.
Also Read | Day after blaze killed 17, Bawana firecracker factory owner Manoj Jain arrested
Bawana factory fire Live Updates:
2:05 pm: Talking about the licensing of the factory in Delhi’s Bawana, GC Mishra said, “No knowledge. We will have to look into its Trade License. Better information can be obtained from Licensing Authority.”
1:34 pm: GC Mishra also said, “In all probability, it was a recently constructed building. The area was made only for the plastic factory. Only a probe will say if this factory received a NOC certificate. The activity undergoing here falls under high hazard category.
1:32 pm: Delhi Fire Services Director GC Mishra said that an FIR has been lodged by the Delhi police. The investigation is being done. Electric wires in the building were running haywire, I think fire must have started there but it will be disclosed only after the probe. There was no firefighting arrangement there.”
01:11 pm: LG Anil Baijal was at the BR Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini to meet the families of the victims.
LG Ani Baijal at the hospital. (Source: Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)
01:01 pm: All markets in Delhi to remain closed on Tuesday, announces Chamber of Trade and Industries.
12:38 pm: Delhi BJP Chief Manoj Tiwari also supported Preeti Aggarwal saying this place, factory and its license, all belong to Delhi government and its Industry department and they were running it illegally.
इससे घटिया हरकत क्या हो सकती है कि 17 लोगों के दर्दनाक मौत के समय एक झूठे विडियो को @ArvindKejriwal CM Delhi ख़ुद Retweet करें..!!! ये जगह,ये factory,इसका लाइसेन्स, सब दिल्ली सरकार और उसके इंडस्ट्री dept का है और ग़ैर क़ानूनी चलवा रहे थे sir http://t.co/0HjgISzCLT
— Manoj Tiwari (@ManojTiwariMP) January 20, 2018
12:20 pm: LG Anil Baijal has reached BR Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini where the families of the victims of the Bawana factory fire are waiting for post-mortem.
12:09 pm: According to a list of names released by the police, the seven deceased who have been identified includes Rajjo (65), Madeena (55), Dharma Devi (45), Baby Devi (40), Afsana (35), Sonam (23) and Reeta (18) lost their lives in the fire. All are factory workers.
12:06 pm: Rajneesh Gupta also said, ““As of now, Jain was the lone owner of the factory. However, his close friend and neighbour Lalit Goyal’s role is also being investigated.”
The Bawana firecracker factory owner Manoj Jain. (Source: Delhi Police)
12:04 pm: Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Rajneesh Gupta has said that Manoj Jain had taken the building on rent for Rs 25, 000 per month, since January 1. He said, “From the time of questioning till now, he told us that the factory was of cold firecrackers used in stage shows and Holi celebrations. The packages recovered from the site also show the same. ” Gupta also said that as per one of the injured labourers, crackers used to come from outside and packing was done in the factory.
12:00 pm: Police says documents related to the ownership of the factory are yet to be seized.
11:42 am: The mayor said, “This industrial area is under DSIDC and land allotment has been done by Delhi government. They should at least see what work is being done there. Is making a fake video viral and confusing public is fair? It’s condemnable and I expect Arvind Kejriwal Ji to apologise: Preeti Aggarwal
11:41 am: North Delhi mayor Preeti Aggarwal told ANI, “A video of me is being made viral on social media and has been retweeted by CM as well. I only made some inquiry about the place from my co-workers and I meant we shouldn’t say anything about such unfortunate incident at this time.”
North MCD Mayor Preety Aggarwal. (Source: ANI photo)
11:34 am: North MCD Mayor Preety Aggarwal on Saturday said she will “make a committee to investigate the matter”.
11:33 pm: Delhi police have arrested the owner of the illegal firecracker factory at Bawana, Manoj Jain. Jain was running the factory since January 1 this year.
11:32 am: Fire officials said the fire broke out in the basement around 6.20 pm and moved up to the floors above. Fifteen fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the fire. PCR vans from the local police station and 13 Cats ambulances rushed those injured to local hospitals.
11:31 am: Around 50 workers were trapped inside the three-floor unit, and Delhi Fire Services said a majority of the deaths were caused by burns while a few died after inhaling toxic fumes.
11:30 am: Seventeen people were killed in a fire that broke out at an illegal firecracker storage unit in Bawana Industrial Area of Delhi on Saturday evening.
(With Inputs from ENS and agencies)