7 KILLED IN UP FIRECRACKER FACTORY BLAST
LUCKNOW: Seven people were killed and four injured when a stockpile of firecrackers exploded at a workshop in Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun district on Friday evening, police said.
The blast at the workshop, which is near Rasoolpur village under the Civil Lines police station, happened when firecrackers were being manufactured ahead of Diwali.
The building housing the workshop suffered major damage and many neighbouring houses developed cracks, the police said.
“The blast occurred in a room that was used to store crackers around 4.30pm. We have started rescue work,” said Badaun superintendent of police (SP), Ashok Kumar.
The rescue teams have recovered seven bodies from the rubble. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem. Those injured have been taken to the nearby district hospital, officials involved in the rescue operations said.
The police have started investigations to find the cause of the explosion, but locals said it was triggered by a fire that was caused by a short-circuit. Preliminary investigations said the factory owner had a manufacturing licence.
The district administration has called in a reserve battalion of the Provincial Armed Constabulary(pac) to help the police and the district disaster management team with rescue work.
The health department has set up a field unit to provide emergency medical support near the blast site. The SP, the district magistrate (DM) and senior officials are monitoring the rescue work.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took immediate cognizance of the explosion and directed the district magistrate of Badaun to take all necessary steps to provide relief to the injured.
He expressed grief over the loss of lives, and has issued instructions to officials for proper medical treatment of the injured.
The chief minister has also ordered the district magistrates and superintendents of police to inspect the firecracker factories, transportation of firecrackers and their sale. He said that adequate steps must be taken to ensure that accidents due to firecrackers do not take place.
(With agencies input)