Gurugram: 2 killed, 4 injured in explosion at fire extinguisher factory

Gurugram: At least two persons were killed and four others were severely injured after an explosion at a fire extinguisher manufacturing factory in the Daultabad industrial area in Gurugram, police said on Saturday.

Fire department officials said that they had pulled out the bodies of two persons from the debris, and more than four others injured were rushed to various hospitals. More than 25 fire tenders were pressed into action to control the flames, said officials.

Police said that more than two dozen factories, which were in close proximity to the fire extinguisher factory, were also gutted in the explosion.

Bhim Nagar fire station officer Ramesh Kumar said they received a call about the fire at the factory around 12.36am.

“The epicentre was a factory which manufactured fire extinguisher balls. Some mini explosive device is used inside these balls, which explode at a particular temperature. It was these balls that started exploding one after another after an initial fire broke out, which was suspected to be caused by an electrical short circuit,” Kumar said.

Kumar said that after the fire spread, raw materials stored inside the factory also caught fire, causing a massive explosion, which resulted in the fire spreading to neighbouring factories.

“At least 20 factories in the locality were either destroyed or damaged from the fire that started from the fire extinguisher manufacturing factory,” said Kumar.

Karan Goel, deputy commissioner of police (West), said that two fatalities had been reported till now who were probably the security guards.

“Their bodies were sent for autopsy. However, their identities were yet to be ascertained,” said Goel, adding that search and rescue operations were still going on in the area.

“The injured persons were being treated at various hospitals. Police personnel are deployed at the hospitals and the spot along with firefighters,” he added.