Blast at UP firecracker factory kills 8, most victims bystanders

LUCKNOW: Eight people were killed and five others injured in a blast at a firecracker workshop in Badaun on Friday evening, police said. Condition of two the injured persons is critical.

“The blast occurred in a room that was used to store crackers at around 4.30pm,” said superintendent of police, Badaun, Ashok Kumar. The workshop is situated near Rasoolpur village under Civil Lines police station in Badaun.

Chief minister Yogi Aditya- nath announced an ex gratia of ₹ 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured.

The rescue teams recovered seven bodies after the blast and one body was found late in the evening, said district magistrate Dinesh Kumar Singh.

The injured people were rushed to the nearby district hospital, officials said. Seven of the deceased were identified and efforts were on to identify the eighth body.

Majority of the deceased were standing outside the workshop. According to locals, only two workers were inside the workshop at the time of the incident.

Although the police have started investigation to find the cause of the explosion, locals said the blast occurred after a fire that was caused by short circuit.

The workshop is registered in the name of one Sanju Jatav, a resident of Badaun city, who also holds licence to sell fire crackers.

The DM has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

Deputy inspector general (law and order) Praveen Kumar said the state government has sought a report from the Badaun DM and the SP on the explosion