Two firemen killed in Greater Noida factory wall collapse during firefighting
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Two fire service personnel were killed and three others injured after a wall and an iron beam collapsed during firefighting operations at an electronics chip manufacturing facility in Greater Noida late Monday night, officials confirmed on Tuesday, 4 August. The incident at ILGIM Company in the Ecotech-3 police station area has drawn sharp attention to the structural hazards emergency responders face at industrial sites.
How the Tragedy Unfolded
A massive fire broke out at the ILGIM Company factory, which manufactures electronic chips. Police and fire department teams were immediately dispatched to the scene upon receiving information about the blaze. After hours of sustained firefighting efforts, teams succeeded in bringing the fire under control.
However, during the operation, a side wall of the factory and an iron beam suddenly gave way, trapping and injuring several members of the firefighting team. All five affected personnel were rushed to a nearby hospital with serious injuries.
Personnel Killed and Injured
Fireman Rohit Yadav and Chief Constable Driver Teerathpal Singh succumbed to their injuries during treatment, officials confirmed. The three other injured personnel — Chief Constable Driver Rajpal Singh, Fireman Manish Kumar, and Fireman Amit Kumar — are reported to be out of danger and are currently receiving medical treatment.
Response and Ongoing Assessment
Senior police officials and teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) remain deployed at the site to assist with rescue and safety operations. Authorities have cordoned off the factory premises and are assessing the structural stability of the building. Legal proceedings have been initiated, officials said.
Cause Under Investigation
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined. A detailed investigation has been launched to establish how the blaze originated and what circumstances led to the structural collapse during the firefighting operation. This incident underscores a recurring concern about the safety risks faced by emergency responders tackling industrial fires, particularly at facilities involved in electronics manufacturing and other processes involving hazardous materials.
Notably, structural collapses during firefighting operations at industrial units have been flagged repeatedly by fire safety experts as a preventable hazard, contingent on mandatory structural audits and real-time building assessment protocols — measures that remain inconsistently enforced across industrial zones in Uttar Pradesh.