Chhattisgarh: 2 killed, 1 injured as spark from motor triggers major factory fire in Bilaspur 

A fire at a furniture factory in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, killed two workers and injured another after turpentine oil caught fire during transfer. The blaze took nearly 10 hours to control. Police have launched an investigation.

Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh): Two workers were killed and another sustained burns after a major fire, caused by a spark from a motor, tore through a furniture-making unit in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur district, police said on Wednesday.

The fire started at Mittal Furniture factory in Sirgitti industrial area around 4 pm on Tuesday, and it was doused after around a 10-hour-long operation, said Kishore Kenwat, Station House Officer of Sirgitti police station.

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The fire reportedly started after a spark from a motor ignited turpentine oil stored in jerry cans at the factory, triggering a massive blaze, he said. Several other chemicals and solutions used to make furniture had also been stored on the premises.

As per preliminary information, when turpentine oil was being transferred from a tanker into jerry cans using a motor, a spark from the motor ignited one of the jerrycans. After it burst, other inflammable materials caught fire, and the blaze quickly spread and became intense, he said.

Around 10 workers and artisans, who were inside the factory, fled to save their lives, he said. One of them, Ritesh Shukla (25), came out in a severely burnt condition and was rushed to a government hospital in Bilaspur. He was later referred to Raipur, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment, he said.

Later, it was learnt that another worker, Abhijeet alias Ayush Suryavanshi (20), was trapped inside the factory, he said. Due to intense flames and heavy smoke, police and rescue teams were initially unable to enter the premises, while intermittent explosions continued inside. Suryavanshi’s body was recovered early Wednesday morning, he said. A third person, identified as Daksh, suffered partial burn injuries and has been admitted to a hospital, he said. A case has been registered in this connection, and a probe has been launched, he added.