Ghaziabad: Explosion at illegal fireworks factory kills 8, injures more than 20

Ghaziabad, 5 July 2020 Sunday

Eight people have so far been confirmed dead in an explosion at an illegally operated fireworks factory in Barkhawa village near Modinagar taluka in Ghaziabad on Sunday afternoon. While more than a dozen people are reported injured.

District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey, Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani and other police and administration officials rushed to the spot after receiving information about the case.

Fire brigade, NDRF and police have stepped up efforts to extinguish the fire as well as remove the bodies from inside the factory.

Police said bomb-making work was also underway at the factory on Sunday. It is estimated that about 30 people were working inside the factory at the time. In the meantime a sudden explosion and fire broke out.

A huge explosion ripped through the factory, and the whole factory was engulfed in flames. Workers inside tried to flee, but only a few were able to get out as they were badly surrounded by flames.

On the other hand, not only the villages around Barkhawa but also Ghaziabad were in a state of panic. District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey also accompanied senior superintendent of police Kalani Naithani to the spot after the relief teams left the district headquarters.

On the other hand, Superintendent of Police (Rural) Neeraj Kumar Jadoon also reached the spot with a police team and started the relief operation. Locals said the sound of the blast was heard far away.