Kaushambi Firecracker Factory Blast Flattens Houses, Kills 11 Including 6 Children; PM Modi Announces Rs 2 Lakh Aid For Kin

Kaushambi: A deadly explosion ripped through a firecracker manufacturing unit in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi district on Monday afternoon, leaving at least 11 persons dead and 6 others with serious injuries. According to District Magistrate Amit Pal, the blast occurred in Manori village under Pipri police station area. 

As per officials, the injured were rushed to SRN Hospital in Prayagraj, where 11 succumbed during treatment, while 6 remain under medical care.

Among those who lost their lives were several children from families residing close to the factory premises. The rescue teams fear that the death count may rise as debris clearance continues at the site. 

Nearby Houses Collapse, Railway Services Disrupted

According to reports, the intensity of the explosion caused extensive destruction to the factory structure and surrounding buildings. Sources claimed that around 5 to 6 houses located adjacent to the unit collapsed under the impact.

The district administration stated that all deceased persons belonged to neighbourhoods situated near the factory. The victims have been identified as Gyan Singh (35), Vikram Saroj (38), Anju (36), Priyanjali (5), Praveen (14), Jahanvi (15), Aditya (10), Amit (2), Ravi (7), Ansh (4), and Shivansh (6).

The explosion took place close to the Manori power house and damaged a high-voltage electricity pole along with power lines, leading to disruption in supply. The electricity department personnel have reached the location to restore services.

The rail traffic on the busy Delhi-Howrah line passing near the site remained suspended for about an hour as a precautionary measure. The Ajmer-Sealdah Express, which had reached near the blast site, was sent back to Manori railway station, while the Vande Bharat Express travelling from Delhi to Varanasi was halted at Saiyad Sarawan railway station, one station before the location of the incident.

Massive Rescue Operation Underway

The senior district officials, including DM Amit Pal, Kaushambi Superintendent of Police (SP) Satyanarayan Prajapat and Prayagraj Range Inspector General (IG) Ajay Mishra, rushed to the spot along with teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police and fire brigade.

Over a dozen fire tenders and around 2 dozen ambulances have been deployed at the location. Over 50 Air Force personnel from the Manori Air Force Station, located around 2 km away, are assisting in relief work.

The fire brigade teams managed to bring the blaze under control, following which rescue personnel launched evacuation efforts. The excavators and 10 bulldozers are being used to clear rubble and search for persons possibly trapped underneath collapsed structures. The sources from the district administration suspect over 18 persons were injured in the incident, with fears that additional victims might remain buried.

PM And CM Announce Financial Assistance

Following the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. In a post on X in Hindi, Adityanath noted, "The loss of life in the unfortunate incident in Kaushambi district is deeply saddening and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families."

The Chief Minister added that instructions have been issued to local officers to ensure proper medical treatment for the injured and to extend all possible assistance to affected families. CM Yogi Adityanath also announced financial aid of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each for injured persons, while praying to Lord Shri Ram to grant peace to departed souls and speedy recovery to the injured.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also conveyed condolences, in a message shared by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on X, he said, "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."

PM Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. The cause behind the explosion remains under investigation. The police are investigating the incident to ascertain the cause of the deadly blast.