Kurali factory inferno leaves two workers critical, three more injured
Mohali deputy commissioner Aashika Jain ordered a magisterial probe to establish the cause behind the fire and whether the factory management was following government norms
Two female workers are battling for life after a massive fire ripped through a chemical factory on Chanalon Road in Kurali on Wednesday.
Three more factory workers were injured in the fire that broke out on the premises of Shemrock Organics Pvt Ltd around noon.
As many as 12 fire tenders battled for around six hours to douse the blaze, whose cause remains unclear. As per officials, wood varnish was being manufactured in the factory. Chemicals worth lakhs and several vehicles parked in the godown were gutted.
Deputy commissioner Aashika Jain ordered a magisterial probe to establish the cause behind the fire and whether the factory management was following government norms. An additional deputy commissioner (ADC)-level officer will be entrusted with the inquiry.
Factory workers noticed the flames first in the storage area. Within moments, the fire rapidly engulfed the entire unit, sending plumes of thick black smoke into the sky. Small explosions recurred on the premises from time to time.
Workers rushed to rescue their trapped colleagues, most of whom faced trouble breathing due to the acrid fumes.
The injured workers were identified as Sandhya, 20, Anju, 35, Daljit, 42, Jaman Devi, 25 and Nibha, 19.
Having suffered over 40% burns, Sandhya and Anju were rushed to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh, while the other three are recuperating at the civil hospital in Phase 6, Mohali.
Cabinet minister Anmol Gagan Mann and deputy commissioner (DC) Aashika Jain also visited the site to assess the damage. ADC (General) Viraj S Tidke and sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Ravinder Singh oversaw the rescue operation.
The DC said the injured will be looked after and provided financial help from Chief Minister Relief Fund.
Kharar fire officer Kaur Singh said firefighters struggled to contain the inferno as inflammable liquid in large quantity had caught fire. He said each of the five fire tenders had to be refilled five times in a desperate effort to contain the flames.
Additionally, a specialised foaming fire tender and more from the air force were also pressed into service to keep the fire from spreading to adjacent structures. Electricity supply to the area was snapped and inflammable materials kept in the nearby units were removed amid the firefighting operation.
Along with evacuation of workers, the immediate area around the chemical plant was cordoned off, and residents in the vicinity were urged to stay indoors and keep their windows and doors closed to avoid inhaling the toxic smoke.
