A fire in a factory in the Indian capital Delhi has killed at least 21 people, including several foreign nationals, officials said on Wednesday. The blaze broke out in a building in the Wazirpur industrial area late on Tuesday night, in premises used to manufacture school bags and home appliances. The structure, which contained a ground-floor workshop and upper-floor storage, was not equipped with fire escapes.
Most of the victims suffocated from smoke inhalation. Among the dead were two Nepali nationals and one Bangladeshi, according to Delhi police. Police have arrested the factory owner, who is being questioned for negligence.
Delhi's chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, declared the incident a tragedy and announced compensation of 500,000 rupees (£5,400) for the families of the deceased. The building, said to be three stories, was operating without proper safety clearances. Investigations are under way.
The disaster highlights recurrent building-safety failures in Indian industrial zones, where enforcement of regulations is often inconsistent.
