Short circuit sparks fire in Gurgaon rubber factory, 5 workers injured

Gurgaon: Five workers were injured and had to be hospitalised after a fire broke out in a rubber factory in Udyog Vihar, Phase 1, on Friday. No casualties have been reported in the incident, a police officer said.Initial investigation suggests a short circuit in a machine installed in the basement triggered the fire, leading to smoke filling parts of the building.According to police, an emergency response vehicle team on patrol in the area first noticed smoke billowing from the factory building at Rubtech (Mech) India around 10.30am. The team immediately alerted the fire brigade and other agencies about the blaze.When a police team reached the spot, they found five employees — including two women and three men — trapped on the first floor due to the smoke. They were rescued after a side glass panel of the factory was broken, an officer said, adding that all five were subsequently taken to Park Hospital for treatment. Reportedly, one person, Vipul, suffered a head injury from the broken glass but all those injured are said to be stable.Talking to TOI, a factory employee said, “While the fire broke out in the basement, dense smoke covered the entire building and the entrance too. There was only one person in the basement at the time of the fire and he exited safely. The five employees who got trapped were working on the first floor and could not locate the entrance due to the smoke.”Police spokesperson Sandeep Kumar said police teams, with the help of the factory staff as well, began rescue operations without delay, and sourced ladders and firefighting equipment from nearby units. “Fire brigade teams soon joined the operation, and the blaze was brought under control through coordinated efforts soon,” he said.He added that the swift response, alertness and courage of the police team helped prevent a potentially major incident, ensuring that all employees were rescued safely.