Baddi – A horrifying incident unfolded in Baddi-Barotiwala as a perfume factory succumbed to a devastating fire, laying bare egregious safety oversights, including the shocking absence of fire exits. The absence of crucial emergency measures led to a chaotic stampede among workers, resulting in injuries and, tragically, the loss of life.
Preliminary investigations revealed a lack of emergency exits within the factory premises. As flames engulfed the facility, panic ensued among the predominantly female workforce. Workers on the lower floors managed to escape, but those on the upper floor were left with no option but to leap from the roof to evade the rapidly spreading fire.
The consequences of this safety lapse were severe, with numerous workers sustaining injuries, including broken bones, in their desperate attempt to flee the inferno. Regrettably, one woman lost her life due to injuries sustained while jumping from the roof, underscoring the critical need for proper emergency exits in industrial settings. Additionally, other workers, unable to summon the courage to leap from the factory, succumbed to suffocation and burns.
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Compounding the tragedy, it was discovered that the factory’s storage unit housed an excessive amount of chemicals. When the fire reached the chemical store, the company lacked the necessary resources to control or extinguish the blaze promptly. Responsibility for this failure has been placed on the plant head and company operator.
Primarily comprised of female workers engaged in packing duties, the factory lacked trained personnel who could have potentially contained the initial fire. The absence of skilled workers further escalated the situation, leaving the workers in a state of panic and resulting in the tragic loss of life.
The police have registered a case against the company director and plant head under sections 385, 336, 337, 285, and 304. The plant head has been remanded in police custody for four days following his appearance in court. Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri visited the site to assess the relief and rescue efforts, directing officials to take appropriate actions.
The absence of fire exits serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of stringent safety measures in industrial facilities. Authorities are expected to conduct a thorough investigation to hold those responsible for this gross negligence accountable and to prevent such tragedies in the future.
