Cracker unit was licensed as plastic factory

NEW DELHI: The three-s to rey building in northwest Delhi’ s Ba wan a industrial area that caught fire and killed 17 people on Saturday was registered as a plastic factory but was used illegally as a unit to package and store firecrackers, police said on Sunday.

The fate of the victims was sealed 21 days ago when businessman ManojJa in started stocking firecrackers in the rented building that had no fire evacuation plan, only two fire extinguishers, and a lone exit that was allegedly locked when the blaze broke out.

Jain had allegedly hired workers to put in packages firecrackers bought from manufacturers and keep the highly inflammable material on different floors of the building. Police said at least 30 people worked in the unit, but did not specify how many were inside when the fire started.

According to Delhi MC officials, building Number F-83 was being used by its tenant, Manoj Jain. The Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation( D SI I DC) al lots plots in the industrial area spread over 2,100 acres, which reported more than 450 fire emergencies and five fire-related deaths in 2017.

Delhi police has registered a case of culpable homicide not a mounting to murder and under sections of the explosives act against Jain, who was arrested early on Sunday.