The deceased have been identified as supervisor Rishabh Shukla and labourer Ayush Suryavanshi. According to officials, Rishabh suffered severe burns while trying to escape the factory. He managed to come out in a critically injured condition and was rushed to a private nursing home in Raipur, where he succumbed during treatment. Ayush, however, remained trapped inside the factory and died on the spot due to burn injuries.
Police said the factory stored large quantities of highly inflammable turpentine oil used for wood polishing and finishing. On Tuesday afternoon, smoke was first noticed rising from a storage tanker. Within minutes, the fire intensified, sending towering flames and thick black smoke into the sky, visible from several kilometres away.
As the fire spread rapidly, panic gripped the factory premises. More than a dozen workers managed to flee and save their lives. Fire brigade teams and Sirgitti police rushed to the spot after receiving information and carried out firefighting operations using water and foam tenders. Despite their efforts, the blaze continued for several hours before being brought under control.
Ayush Suryavanshi had been working at the factory along with his elder brother Ashish and father Ghanshyam Suryavanshi. While the father and brother managed to escape, Ayush was left behind. His search continued till late night, and he was later taken to hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Preliminary investigation suggests that a spark from a motor ignited the nearby turpentine oil tanker, leading to the fire. Sirgitti police station in-charge Kishore Kenwat said both bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination and a detailed inquiry has been initiated to ascertain safety lapses and exact cause of the incident.
