2 children among 5 dead in factory explosion in UP's Firozabad

Five persons, including two children and a woman, were killed in a sudden explosion at a firecracker godown-cum-factory in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad district, a police official said on Tuesday.

Eleven persons were injured in the incident, they said.

Police said the explosion happened in the factory located in the Naushera area under Shikohabad police station limits on Monday night.

“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 told PTI.

Deepak Kumar, IG, Agra range, who reached the incident spot late on Monday night for inspection had told PTI that a team of fire and police departments, and the district administration are engaged in relief work under supervision of the superintendent of police and CMO officials, he said.

According to local residents, around 10.30 pm, there was a sudden blast in the firecracker godown due to which the walls of the building collapsed and about seven people of the same family living in it got buried under the debris.

According to information obtained from the district hospital, the deceased who have been identified are Meera Devi (45), Aman (20), Gautam Kushwaha (18) and Kumari Ichha (3). The identity of one of the deceased child is yet to be ascertained, police said.

The bodies of the deceased were sent for postmortem and the injured have been hospitalised, the official said.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken cognisance of the accident that took place at the firecracker godown in Shikohabad area of Firozabad district, according to UP government.

The chief minister has directed the district administration officials to provide them proper treatment to the injured and has directed the district administration officials to reach the spot and expedite the relief work, it said.