KAUSHAMBI: Eleven people, including eight children, were killed and five others injured after a powerful explosion ripped through a firecracker factory in Manori village of Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district on Monday, collapsing the factory and several adjoining houses.
Rescue teams feared that more people could still be trapped under the rubble. Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, fire services and the Air Force were involved in the operation.
Kaushambi District Magistrate Amit Pal said the factory had obtained an explosives licence in 2019, valid until 2026, but it was cancelled in 2024. An inquiry has been ordered to determine how the unit continued functioning after the cancellation and fix responsibility for the lapse.
Superintendent of Police Satnarayan Prajapat said a case had been registered at Pipri police station against six people, including factory operator Adil, under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Explosives Act. Police teams have been formed to arrest the accused, while action under the Gangsters Act and proceedings for attachment of their assets are also planned.
The blast caused five to six nearby houses to collapse. The victims were residents of the surrounding area. Five seriously injured people are undergoing treatment at SRN Hospital in Prayagraj.
The intensity of the explosion also disrupted rail traffic on the nearby Delhi-Howrah route for about an hour. The Ajmer-Sealdah Express was sent back to Manori station, while the Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat was halted at Saiyad Sarawan.
More than a dozen fire tenders and around two dozen ambulances were deployed. Excavators were being used to clear debris as rescue personnel searched for survivors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
“Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a mishap at a firecracker factory in Kaushambi, Uttar Pradesh. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. May the injured recover at the earliest,” Modi said in a post on ‘X’.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief and announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh for each deceased victim’s family and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya visited the injured at SRN Hospital.
Minister of State for Dairy Development Krishna Paswan also visited the site and met victims’ families. He said the factory was being demolished and assured that strict action, including asset seizure, would be taken against those found responsible.