A Sonipat factory fire killed two workers and injured four others, including three in critical condition, after flames engulfed a mattress manufacturing unit in Barota village in the early hours of Thursday. The blaze took several hours to control and prompted a multi-agency rescue operation amid fears that more workers were trapped inside.
The fire broke out at around 4am at the factory, located about 25 km from Sonipat. The Kundli fire brigade received the alert at 4.23am, after which eight fire tenders from Kundli, Sector-23, Education City and other fire stations were sent to the site.
The unit stored and manufactured inflammable materials, including foam, which helped fuel the fire. Fire officer Rameshwar said the flames were brought under control at around 10am. The factory sustained extensive damage, and its walls on three sides collapsed during the incident.
The National Disaster Response Force was called in because of concerns that several workers could have been trapped inside the facility. After searching the debris for several hours, NDRF personnel recovered the skeletal remains of two workers.
Police spokesperson ASI Ravinder Singh identified the deceased as Kanhaiya Lal and his nephew, Sunil. Both were natives of Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district. Their remains were sent for post-mortem examination. Four other workers were taken to a Sonipat hospital with grievous burns, with three reported to be in critical condition.
The factory operated round the clock, raising concerns about the number of people present when the fire started and the conditions under which workers attempted to escape. The presence of foam and other inflammable materials also complicated firefighting and rescue operations.
Fire officer Rameshwar said a short circuit was suspected to have started the blaze, but added that the exact cause would be established only after a detailed investigation. Police said no case had been registered so far and that officers were examining the circumstances surrounding the incident.
ASI Singh said further action would be initiated if a complaint was received. The investigation is expected to establish how the fire began, whether safety arrangements were in place and what led to the deaths and injuries inside the factory.
