Date:06/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/06/stories/2007050605760400.htm

Karnataka - Belgaum

Fire: 17 workers in critical condition

Staff Correspondent

Two dead in Gokak incident; 40 people with severe burns have been admitted to hospital

FIRE SITE: The starch-making unit that caught fire on Friday night.

Belgaum: The fire that broke out in the starch-making unit of Riddhi Siddhi Gluco Boils Ltd. in Gokak on Friday night claimed two lives and left 40 people with severe burns.

The condition of 17 of the 27 people admitted to KLE Hospital here is stated to be critical. Almost all of them have more than 60 per cent second-degree burns and inhalation injuries. Ten people are in stable condition. Four more people have been shifted from the Government Hospital in Gokak to KLE hospital.

Sanjeev Hulloli, 20, of Godgeri in Gokak taluk, died at a private hospital in Gokak around 4 a.m. on Saturday, and Nanalal, 27, from Udaipur in Rajasthan, died around 12.30 p.m. at KLE Hospital.

Additional Superintendent of Police S.K. Hegde said the Gokak police had summoned senior factory officials for questioning. He did not rule out the possibility of arrests being made after the investigation was over.

Officials from Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd., Fire Services, Pollution Control Board and the Labour Department inspected the site of the accident to ascertain the cause, which is yet to be determined.

KLE medical director M.V. Jali and relatives of the victims under treatment at KLE Hospital said no company official had visited the hospital so far.

When contacted, a senior company official told The Hindu that three representatives had been sent to the hospital.

Social Welfare Minister Balachandra Jarkiholi and Suresh Angadi, MP visited the factory.

`Book case'

The police should book a criminal case against the management of the factory, CITU national vice-president V.J.K. Nair said here on Saturday.

Mr. Nair, who is also general secretary of the CITU State unit, visited KLE Hospital with district CITU president C.A. Kharade and leaders of other labour unions to enquire about the condition of those injured in the fire.