Amazon to review action against India delivery partner after fatal fire probe

Amazon on Thursday said it will take "appropriate action" against a third-party delivery partner in India once a police investigation into a fire that killed two workers is completed. The company has also launched an independent internal investigation into the incident, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The case stems from a fire at M&M Logistics Solutions, an Amazon delivery partner in the northern state of Uttarakhand, which claimed the lives of two workers on June 5. According to the state police, the building did not have a valid fire safety clearance and lacked essential safety measures, including a fire alarm, smoke detectors, and adequate emergency exits.

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In a statement to Reuters, Amazon said, "We will take appropriate action in line with our policies once the (local authorities) investigation is complete."

Union calls for probe

Amazon came under scrutiny in 2024 after India's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) took note of allegations of labour law violations during a severe heatwave at one of the company's warehouses near New Delhi. The commission was later informed that the state government had initiated legal proceedings under India's labour laws in connection with the complaints.

Amazon has maintained that the safety and well-being of its employees remains its highest priority.

In a statement, the Amazon India Workers Union called for an independent judicial inquiry into the June 5 deaths, describing the incident as "a grave failure of workplace safety and protection of human dignity."

According to a 2023 Amazon press release, M&M Logistics Solutions operates 45 Amazon delivery centres across 21 cities, handling package deliveries throughout northern India.

Although M&M Logistics Solutions functions as a third-party vendor, Amazon's Supplier Code of Conduct states that the company does not tolerate unsafe working conditions, including hazards such as uncontrolled fires.

The policy further states that third-party contractors found violating its standards may face disciplinary action, including suspension or termination of their contracts.

Amazon and Clicktech Ordered to Pay Compensation

A month earlier in a separate case, Amazon had been directed to compensate a consumer after a district consumer commission found the e-commerce giant and one of its retail partners guilty of deficiency in service for delivering the wrong product and subsequently denying a refund.

In its order, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Darjeeling, comprising President Tikendra Narayan Pradhan and Member Bhawana Thakur, held Amazon and Clicktech Retail Private Ltd. liable for failing to address the consumer's grievance after an incorrect item was delivered.