Faisal Fareed
Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow

Lucknow, Nov 28: Six persons died due to burn injuries while three others were seriously injured when they were trapped in a school bag manufacturing unit in Lucknow on Sunday. A case has been registered against the factory owner. The deceased also include four minor boys.

As per reports, Goodluck school bag factory is situated in congested Rassi Batawan locality of Lucknow. The factory unit manufactured school bags with workers also putting up in the three storeyed premises during night. On Sunday at 1 am, they were sleeping in the rooms when suddenly they were woken due to suffocation. Before they could realise the heaps of bags made of leather also caught fire and they were trapped inside it. Neighbours rushed to their rescue but the close congested lanes proved a deterrent. Later, somehow access was gained from another neighbour’s roof.

Finally police was called but the lane was so narrow that even ambulance could not reach there. Bodies were taken out on handcart and shifted to ambulance on main road. Six of them died when they reached hospital while three others are still fighting for their life.Fire-fighting officials also reached the scene. The lane being too narrow the fire officials first laid the water pipes to reach the house and then doused the fire which was still very intense.

The police detained Sabir and are interrogating him. A case has been registered in this connection.

The deceased were identified as Jaheerudin (18), Sirajuddin (17), Naemuddin (15), Saheb Alam (16) and Afaq (12). The victim who suffered burns were identified as Ishrat and his brothers Sadab and Aquil.