Daijiworld Media Network - Kaushambi
Kaushambi (Uttar Pradesh), Aug 31: At least 11 people were killed and five others injured after a massive fire triggered a series of explosions at a firecracker factory in Manouri Bazaar under Pipri police station limits of Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi district on Monday, district authorities said.
District Magistrate Amit Pal Sharma said rescue and relief operations were continuing, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) deployed at the site.
According to the administration, 11 deaths have been confirmed so far, while five injured persons are undergoing treatment at Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital in Prayagraj. Authorities have arranged immediate medical assistance for anyone found during the ongoing search operation.
The District Magistrate assured strict action against those found responsible for the tragedy. He said criminal cases would be registered under stringent sections of the law and strict measures, including property attachment, would be initiated in accordance with government directives.
Following the explosions, administrative and police teams cordoned off the area and intensified rescue operations. Officials fear that more people could still be trapped beneath the debris of the factory and nearby structures that collapsed in the blasts. Search and clearance operations remain underway.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep sorrow over the incident and directed officials to expedite rescue operations and ensure proper medical treatment for the injured. He also instructed the administration to provide all possible assistance to affected families.
Local residents were among the first to join the rescue efforts following the explosions. Villagers were seen pulling people trapped under the debris and those suffering from burn injuries to the roadside on makeshift stretchers, from where ambulances transported them to SRN Hospital.
A child is reportedly among the critically injured. Several residents of nearby houses also sustained injuries in the explosions.
The Chief Minister announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 each to the injured. He also prayed for the peace of the deceased and the speedy recovery of those undergoing treatment.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also expressed grief over the tragedy. Describing the loss of multiple members of a single family as heartbreaking, he directed hospital authorities to provide the best possible treatment to the injured and stressed that saving lives remained the government’s top priority.
The scale of devastation became evident in the aftermath of the blasts, with images from the spot showing relatives desperately searching through the rubble for missing family members, while others rushed to hospitals seeking information about their loved ones.