The Punjab Police on Tuesday registered a First Information Report against Inderjeet Singh, the owner of a plastic factory in Ludhiana that caught fire and collapsed on Monday claiming 10 lives, ANI reported.
The factory is located in an industrial area near Sufia Chowk. The fire was reported at 8 am. Hours later, the building collapsed when firemen were trying to douse the flames.
Punjab Local Bodies Minister Navjyot Singh Sidhu told The Indian Express on Monday that the incident was an “irreparable loss of human lives” and that action would be taken against officials of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation if the building was found to be illegally constructed.
“I have already discussed the matter with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, and an inquiry will be ordered to fix the responsibility,” Sidhu said. There has to be at least 15 feet of space around a building for fire tenders to move if it crosses a certain height. I will be getting all the technicalities checked, and officials found guilty will not be spared.” The minister said it was time to “prepare and prevent” such incidents, not “repair and repent” after them.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he was shocked and saddened by the incident, and had asked the Ludhiana district administration to “extend all help” to the National Disaster Response Force for rescue operations.
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