An explosion at a firecracker godown-cum-factory in Firozabad district on Monday night resulted in the deaths of five people, including two children and a woman. The blast, which occurred in the Naushera area under Shikohabad police station limits, also left eleven people injured, according to reports from news agency PTI.
According to locals, there was a sudden blast in the firecracker godown at around 10:30 pm which resulted in the collapse of the building walls leaving seven people buried under the debris.
"Five persons including two children were killed in the explosion, which had taken place in a firecracker godown-cum-factory. Eleven persons were injured in the incident," Circle Officer Shikohabad, Praveen Tiwari, confirmed the fatalities and the injuries.
The five people who lost their lives were Meera Devi (45), Aman Kushwaha (17), Gautam Kushwaha (16) Kumari Ichha (4), and Abhinaye (2). The two kids were siblings, the officer said, adding that they were identified based on information obtained from the district hospital.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken swift action in response to the tragedy. He has instructed officials to ensure all injured victims receive immediate and proper medical treatment. The Chief Minister has also expressed his condolences to the affected families and called for a thorough investigation into the incident.
The bodies of the deceased were handed over to their relatives after post-mortem but they refused to carry out the last rites and demanded the government give them money to rebuild their damaged houses. Later, District Magistrate Ramesh Ranjan and SSP Saurabh Dixit visited the spot and convinced them to proceed with the funeral.
According to Shikohabad's MLA Mukesh Verma, DM Ranjan spoke to the Chief Minister's Office and assured the relatives of the deceased that a compensation of Rs 4 lakhs would be given each deceased, after which the family agreed to perform the last rites.
DM Ranjan reported that rescue teams, including doctors, ambulance services, and fire and disaster response units, are actively working at the scene. A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed to assist with the rescue operations, utilizing sniffer dogs to aid in the search for any more victims.
The explosion has sparked local outrage and criticism, with accusations that the factory's illegal operations were known to local authorities who allegedly accepted bribes to ignore safety violations.
Eyewitnesses have claimed that despite numerous complaints about the firecracker factory, no action was taken due to these alleged bribes. A local resident described the situation as a disaster waiting to happen, citing the factory's hazardous conditions and the lack of enforcement by the police.
The area surrounding the factory has been extensively affected, with reports of damage extending up to 5 kilometers from the explosion site. The intensity of the blast has raised serious concerns about the safety regulations and enforcement related to such establishments.
