Three killed, seven injured in Kanpur mattress factory fire

Three people were killed and seven others sustained burns after a major fire broke out in a foam mattress manufacturing factory in Rania, Kanpur Dehat, on Saturday morning.

The three completely charred bodies were recovered on Saturday evening by firefighters who searched through the debris of collapsed walls and sheds, said SP Kanpur Dehat, BBTGS Murthy.

“Their identities are not yet known. We have a list of workers who were inside the factory at the time of the tragedy, and we are reaching out to their families,” said Circle Officer Akbarpur, Tanu Upadhyaya.

While five injured workers were admitted to the district hospital, two others were shifted to hospitals in Kanpur and Lucknow as they suffered over 90% burns.

At the time the fire broke out, 15 workers were present in the factory during the night shift.

Chief fire officer (CFO) Surendra Singh said the fire was reported around 7:15 am, and two fire engines were rushed to the site. “The number of tenders was increased to six within two hours in order to bring the fire under control,” he said. Firefighters managed to break into the factory and rescued seven workers, who were immediately rushed to the hospital.

The injured workers were identified as Vishal, Ajit, Sumit, Surendra, Rohit, Shivam, and Ravi.

According to initial findings, sparks flew from one of the machines, and suddenly a fire erupted. The workers initially attempted to extinguish the fire, but it spread quickly. It took a formidable turn as the highly flammable substances used in making foam mattresses ignited, along with a gas pipeline, leading to a series of explosions. As a result, the walls and sheds in the factory collapsed.