Two children lost their lives, and another suffered serious injuries after a massive pile of waste clothes collapsed inside a Panipat warehouse
A tragic accident at a textile warehouse in Haryana's Panipat district claimed the lives of two young girls and left another critically injured after a massive pile of waste garments collapsed on them while they were playing hide-and-seek. The heartbreaking incident has raised serious concerns over workplace safety, child supervision, and storage practices at industrial warehouses where workers often bring their children.
Panipat: A devastating accident unfolded on Thursday morning at the warehouse of Shri Lakshmi Enterprises on Bhainswal Road in Panipat, where three children were buried under a towering heap of waste clothes. Two girls died despite being rushed to the hospital, while another child continues to receive treatment for serious injuries.
According to officials and family members, the children had accompanied their mothers, who were employed at the waste textile warehouse. While the women were sorting garments, the girls began playing hide-and-seek inside the premises, unaware of the danger posed by the unstable stacks of textile waste.
Panipat Godown Accident Claims Two Young Lives
The victims have been identified as four-and-a-half-year-old Pragya and two-and-a-half-year-old Sonam. Five-year-old Roshni survived the incident but sustained severe injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at Panipat Civil Hospital.
Pragya had accompanied her mother, Guddi, who is originally from Hardoi district in Uttar Pradesh and works at the warehouse. Sonam and Roshni had come with their mother, Rama, a resident of Kacha Camp, who was also engaged in sorting waste clothes at the facility.
The three girls reportedly started playing together while their mothers were occupied with work inside the warehouse.
Panipat Godown Accident: Children Buried Under Massive Textile Pile
The accident occurred at around 10:15 a.m. when the children suddenly went missing from the work area. Their disappearance immediately triggered panic among workers, who began searching throughout the warehouse.
After nearly thirty minutes of frantic efforts, employees noticed an unusually large pile of clothes lying inside the godown. As they began removing the heavy bundles, they made the horrifying discovery that all three girls had been trapped beneath the collapsed heap.
The workers immediately pulled the children from the debris and rushed them to Panipat Civil Hospital for emergency treatment.
"Doctors declared Sonam and Pragya dead on arrival, while Roshni was admitted for treatment after suffering serious injuries."
The tragic deaths left family members and warehouse workers in deep shock.
Panipat Godown Accident: Survivor Explains How the Panipat Warehouse Accident Happened
Roshni, the only survivor, later recounted how the tragedy unfolded.
According to her statement, she, Pragya, and Sonam had hidden inside a narrow gap created between stacked piles of clothes while playing hide-and-seek. Moments later, a heavy mound of garments suddenly collapsed, trapping all three children underneath.
"We were hiding between the clothes when the entire pile suddenly fell on us. I kept calling my mother, but nobody could hear my voice from outside," Roshni reportedly told family members while receiving treatment.
She further explained that they remained trapped beneath the heap for a considerable period before warehouse workers eventually located and rescued them.
Warehouse Safety Under Fresh Scrutiny After Panipat Godown Incident
The Panipat warehouse tragedy has once again highlighted serious concerns over industrial safety standards and the risks faced by workers' children at workplaces. The presence of unstable textile waste piles inside the godown has also raised questions about storage management and whether adequate safety measures were in place to prevent such accidents.
Authorities are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the collapse and determine whether negligence contributed to the incident.
The deaths of the two children have left their families devastated, while the condition of the injured five-year-old Roshni continues to be monitored by doctors.
