Fire breaks out in shoe factory in Delhi's Narela, no one hurt

New Delhi, Apr 17 (PTI) A fire broke out at a two-storey shoe factory in Delhi’s Narela area on Friday, with authorities rushing over 20 fire tenders to douse the blaze, officials said.

No casualties were reported, and there were no reports of anyone being trapped, they added.

“A call was received about the fire at 7.45 am, following which four fire tenders were initially rushed to the spot,” a senior DFS official said, adding that 24 fire engines are currently carrying out firefighting operations due to the severity of the situation.

He further said that there were two separate factory units connected by an open door on the second floor.

“The fire broke out in one unit, which measured 350 square metres, and was going to spread to the adjoining

factory through the opening. We have controlled the fire and prevented it from spreading to the second factory,” the official said, adding that the fire is confined to the first unit.

The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. However, officials said that the presence of highly flammable materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and cardboard inside the factory may have contributed to the intensity of the fire.

“Materials like cardboard and plastic can form hardened layers on the surface when burnt, while continuing to smoulder underneath, making it difficult for water to penetrate and fully extinguish the fire,” the official explained.

Cooling operations are underway. PTI MSJ BM APL