In a powerful explosion in Siddhartha Nagar district, four persons, including a 2-year-old boy, were killed on Tuesday night.
Reports said that a massive explosion took place in Katra located in Aligarhwa locality of Siddharthnagar adjacent to Kapilvastu Kotwali area on the UP-Nepal border.
The sound of the explosion was so loud that it was heard up to one and a half kilometres away.
Reports said that a two-storey house was built in Katra locality of Aligarhwa area of Siddharthnagar. There are many shops in the front portion of the house and some people live in the rear part. It is said that gas was refilled in refrigerators in a shop at the rear while firecrackers were stored next door. Reports said that during a recent search operation on the border, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) had removed some firecrackers which had brought some relief to the families living in the building.
Sources said that there was a powerful blast followed by a series of loud explosions on Tuesday night, creating a stampede in the nearby India-Nepal border area. The roofs of three shops were blown away by the blasts. A fire also broke out in the building.
In the explosion, a brick fell on the head of Sufiyan, aged two and a half years, son of Baitullah of Mahadev village in Nepal and he died on the spot. Ajay Kasoudhan (21), son of grocery store owner of Aligarhwa town in Kapilvastu Kotwali area, also lost his life in the explosion. Two more unidentified persons also succumbed to injuries in hospital.
Sufiyan's maternal grandmother Rabia (55), and Irfan Ali (26), son of Insan Ali of Pokharbhitwa village of Kapilvastu Kotwali area were seriously injured in the blasts. Both legs of Rabia were also burnt. They were admitted to hospital in critical condition. Two others with minor injuries were sent home after first aid.
On receiving information, District Magistrate of Siddharthnagar, Pawan Aggarwal, and Superintendent of Police Abhishek Aggarwal reached the spot and went to the district hospital where the injured were admitted.
Prima facie it appears that an explosion in the compressor of a refrigerator caused the blasts.
A case was registered and further investigations are on.