Fire kills 12 snack shop workers in India

NEW DELHI – An overnight fire in Mumbai killed 12 sleeping workers early Monday at a small shop that made and sold fried snacks, Indian media said.

One survivor, 28-year-old Tushar Pawar, told The Associated Press that he saw the fire in the centre of the workshop area about 4 a.m.

“Those who were outside were able to move out, but those who were inside, they were trapped and could not come out,” he said.

A disaster management official told the Press Trust of India news agency that 12 workers succumbed to the intense heat and smoke. They were taken to a hospital and declared dead on arrival, he said.

Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the fire, which gutted the workshop area and the shop itself. It made “farsan,” a salty snack enjoyed with tea.