Survivors of the Mundka fire tragedy, that claimed at least 27 lives, on Saturday said smoke and narrow escape route made it difficult to evacuate everyone timely from the building.
A senior police officer said a motivational speaker was addressing an event in the building when the fire broke out. However, there was no information about the speaker's name or whereabouts.
The door of the second floor was locked from outside during the event which led to the delay in evacuation, claimed a survivor, although the Delhi police and fire department officials couldn't confirm that.
The Mundka blaze has so far claimed the lives of 27 people while 29 are still reported to be missing, according to officials. Twelve people were injured in the fire that ravaged the four-storeyed building that had a single and narrow entry and exit route making escape difficult.
Shanti, who worked at the CCTV camera assembling company housed on the first and second floors of the building, was one of the lucky few who could escape the fire.
"We had assembled for a meeting on the second floor of the building when we noticed the flames. We ran towards the exit but it was closed. We were struck. Desperate, several people jumped from the second floor while several were rescued by a crane," she said.
"There were around 250 workers in the factory at the time of the incident. Many people are still unaccounted for." Another survivor said that he was yet to come to terms with the deaths of so many people.
"Everybody was shouting. We were trying to save ourselves. There was only one way to go. So many were my friends," he said.
Vamsika, the daughter of Renu who escaped with injuries, questioned the safety of workers in such factories.
"My mother just suffered injuries but so many people have died. Today this establishment has caught fire tomorrow it will be another. We cannot always live in fear," she said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday announced a magisterial inquiry into the Mundka fire incident as well as Rs 10 lakh compensation for the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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