A skipped shift, a dinner at home: Chance decisions that saved some workers from Mangolpuri factory fire
While some workers survived after deciding not to return for the night shift or stepping out for dinner, four others died after smoke engulfed the shoe factory; families recall the final moments that changed their lives.
Vijay, a worker at a shoe factory in Mangolpuri, narrowly escaped the deadly fire that occurred on October 30, 2026. He had been scheduled to work a double shift that night, but decided to skip it after returning home for dinner. Had he gone to work, he might not be alive today.
Among the victims, four people tragically lost their lives, while two others sustained injuries. Relatives of the deceased recount the final calls made by the workers before they succumbed to asphyxiation. The families are demanding accountability and financial support for those left behind in the wake of the disaster.
The accident occurred during the festive season, when the factory had been operating double shifts to keep up with increased demand. Vijay was among several workers who survived the fire due to their decisions around dinner time. Some stepped out to eat, while others stayed back at the factory. For Harihar Chaurasiya, staying back to eat dinner proved fatal. His son had brought him food from home just minutes before the accident.
Another worker, Ashok, placed an order for dinner from a nearby hotel and chose to eat inside the factory while his co-workers went out to get their meal. As he was on call with his family, he heard the fire alarms and rushed down, but it was too late.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
