Seven killed in blast at firecracker factory in UP

Kaushambi (UP), Feb 25 (PTI) At least seven people died and seven others were injured in an explosion at a firecracker factory in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi district on Sunday, police said.

The blast took place around 12 noon at Maheva village in the Kokhraj police station area and was heard several kilometres from the factory, they said.

Soon after information was received about the explosion, 10 fire tenders and ambulances rushed to the spot, officials said.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) of Prayagraj Zone Bhanu Bhaskar said, "The cracker factory belonged to one Shahid (35). He was also killed in the blast along with six others." As per information shared by the office of UP relief commissioner, four other deceased were identified as Shiv Narayan, Shivkant, Ashok Kumar, and Jaichandra.

Efforts are being made to identify the two other deceased, police said.

According to the ADGP, around 18 people were working at the factory when the blast took place.

"Prima facie it appears that the blast occurred following a fire in the chemicals kept there. Ten fire tenders were sent to the spot to douse the fire," said the ADGP.

As per locals, the blast was so powerful that it dismembered limbs of the deceased and the injured were thrown several metres away from the site.

The cracker factory was legal and had all necessary clearance from the local administration, the officials said. PTI