The fire broke out on the eleventh floor of the ‘Sunshine Entreprises’ building on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, fire department officials said.
A total of 18 workers, including a female and two minors, were sleeping when the blaze was reported inside the factory unit, the fire brigade officials said, adding while seven workers managed to escape, six workers were trapped and killed, and five others received minor injuries.
Officials said that the workers may have died of suffocation. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem.
Following a distress call, two fire tenders from Walunj MIDC fire station, one from Bajaj Auto Company, one from the municipal corporation, and one more from Chikhaltahna fire station rushed to the spot. After almost 3 hours, the fire brigade gained control and recovered the trapped bodies of the workers.
The deceased were identified as Mushtak Sheikh (65), Kausar Sheikh (32), Iqbal Sheikh (18), Kakanaji (55), Riyazbhai (32). Margus Sheikh (33). Injured workers were shifted to Ghati Hospital.
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been ascertained.
Sambhajinagar district guardian minister Sandipan Bhumre visited the site and expressed grief over the incident. “What happened is very unfortunate. The police and fire brigade need to find out what led to the fire.”
Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition in the state legislative council, Ambadas Danve, demanded a probe into the incident and action against those responsible for the incident. “The police must probe the incident and file murder charges against those responsible for causing so many deaths,” Danve said.
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