As many as nine people are reported missing in a day after a massive fire broke out at a perfume factory in Himachal Pradesh's Solan district on Friday, killing one woman and injuring 30 others.
Police Commissioner Sanjay Kundu said there were 85 workers inside the factory at the time of the fire.
“The factory is still on fire, firefighters are struggling and up to nine people are missing after the fire broke out yesterday,” Kundu said.
Police appealed to the public to contact the police control room immediately if they have any information about the missing person.
“The National Disaster Management Force (NDRF) has not yet given permission to forensic experts to investigate the building and determine the cause of the fire due to the large amount of toxic gases,” he said.
Factory manager arrested
Meanwhile, the police arrested NR Aroma's factory manager Chandu Chandrashekhar on suspicion of negligence.
He is subject to Article 285 (Negligent conduct with regard to fire or combustible material), Article 336 (Acts endangering the life or personal safety of others), and Article 337 (Acts endangering the life or personal safety of others). He has been charged under Section 304 (no charge of manslaughter) and section 304 (no charge of manslaughter). Indian Penal Code (IPC) murder offense) at Barotiwala Police Station.
Administrative inquiry ordered and SIT set up
The DGP has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. The SIT comprises Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ashok Verma, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Khazana Ram and Barotiwala Station House Officer (SHO) Sub-Inspector Sanjay Sharma.
Solan Deputy Commissioner Manmohan Sharma also ordered that the security probe by additional deputy commissioner Solan be completed within a month.
The fire at the factory in Jarmajiri, Barotiwala, broke out around 1:30 pm on Friday. Around 12 fire engines from Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and local industries were called in to fight the fire.
A woman worker was taken to PGIMER in Chandigarh while 30 more workers were admitted to various hospitals with injuries.
NDRF is currently assessing the structural safety of the site and removing harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide.
Once cleared, a team from the HP Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) will conduct an on-site inspection and collect the necessary evidence. The SIT will also visit the spot to collect evidence and conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
Considering the complex nature of the fire, the DGP requested the state government to assist a central forensic team.
