11 killed in firecracker factory blast in UP

Eleven people were killed and five were injured after a massive explosion at a firecracker factory in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi district on Monday afternoon, officials said.

District Magistrate Amit Pal said the blast occurred at a firecracker factory in Manori village under the Pipri police station area, following which 11 injured people, who had been referred to SRN Hospital in Prayagraj, died during treatment. He added that the five seriously injured people are undergoing treatment at the same hospital.

The deceased have been identified as Priyanjali (5), Praveen Singh (13), Jahanvi (12), Aditya (12), Aditya (8), Ravi (8), Anju (32), Gyan Singh (40), Vikram Saroj (35), Ansh (6) and Nana (4), the DM said.

All the deceased persons resided in the vicinity of the factory, the officials said. “More than 18 people are suspected to have been injured in the incident,” according to the officials. The explosion occurred near the Manori power house and caused extensive damage to the factory and nearby structures. Five to six houses located adjacent to the factory also collapsed in the impact, the officials said.

Given the intensity of the blast, train operations on the Delhi-Howrah railway line passing near the site were suspended for about an hour. The Ajmer-Sealdah Express, which had reached near the incident site, was sent back to Manori railway station, while the Vande Bharat Express travelling from Delhi to Varanasi was stopped at Saiyad Sarawan railway station, one station before the site.

Pal, Kaushambi Superintendent of Police (SP) Satyanarayan Prajapat and Prayagraj Range Inspector General of Police (IG) Ajay Mishra reached the spot along with teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police and fire brigade personnel.

More than a dozen fire tenders and around two dozen ambulances have been deployed at the site, while more than 50 Air Force personnel are also assisting in the rescue operation.

The fire brigade had earlier brought the blaze under control and rescue operations were launched to evacuate people from the factory. Rescue teams are continuing to clear the debris and excavators are being used to remove the rubble in search of any people who may be trapped.

The blast also damaged a high-voltage electricity pole and power lines in the area. Electricity department personnel are working to repair the damaged infrastructure and restore power supply at the earliest. The Manori Air Force Station is located around two kilometres from the site. Debris from the collapsed house is being cleared with the help of 10 bulldozers. Police suspect that more people might be trapped underneath, and therefore, the death toll could rise further.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed condolences over the loss of lives in the incident and has also announced an ex-gratia for the kin of the deceased and the injured persons. In a post on X in Hindi, Adityanath said, “The loss of life in the unfortunate incident in Kaushambi district is deeply saddening and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families.” “Instructions have been issued to local officials to ensure proper medical treatment for the injured and to reach out to the affected families to provide all possible assistance. Furthermore, directives have been issued to provide financial aid of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured,” Adityanath said.

“I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant a place at His holy feet to the departed souls and a speedy recovery to the injured,” the UP chief minister said on X.