NOIDA: In a tragic turn to the devastating fire that engulfed an electricity meter factory in Sector-4, the charred remains of missing employee Upendra Kumar were discovered late last night amid the rubble. The 16 March blaze had left the community in suspense over his fate, and now his family grapples with profound grief amid rising anger over safety lapses.
Upendra, originally from Kannauj district in Uttar Pradesh, was on night shift duty when the inferno broke out. Chaos ensued as flames and thick smoke forced workers to flee for their lives. While many escaped, Upendra vanished in the pandemonium, prompting an exhaustive search by police and fire teams.
For days, rescuers combed through twisted metal and ashes, but it was only under the cover of darkness that his badly burned body was recovered from a secluded corner of the factory premises. The discovery has shattered his loved ones, who had held onto slim hopes of his survival.
The fire, which raged for nearly 48 hours, injured over three dozen workers, overwhelming local hospitals. Firefighters deployed multiple tenders in a marathon effort to douse the flames, believed to have started from an electrical fault or manufacturing mishap.
Eyewitnesses described a nightmarish scene: blinding smoke, roaring fires, and desperate screams as employees scrambled for exits. Questions now swirl around the factory’s compliance with fire safety norms, with authorities launching a probe into the cause and preventive measures.
Police have sent the body for postmortem and are investigating potential negligence. This incident in Phase-1 police jurisdiction underscores the urgent need for stricter industrial safety enforcement in Noida’s booming manufacturing hubs. As the family prepares for last rites, calls for justice and compensation grow louder.