Chandigarh, May 30: Five people were killed and 27 people were injured in an explosion that occurred at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Fatuhiwala village of Muktsar district of Punjab on Friday morning.
According to sources, the explosion occurred at around 1 am today. Around 40 workers, most of them migrant workers, were in the unit at that time.
The structure of the factory completely collapsed due to the explosion. The workers were engaged in manufacturing and packaging firecrackers at that time.
A worker said that most of them were resting after finishing their night shift when a sudden loud explosion occurred, trapping many under the debris.
Four bodies have been recovered from the rubble so far and 27 injured have been shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bathinda for treatment, a police official said. The factory is licensed and is located in agricultural fields far from residential areas, he said. The case will be thoroughly investigated, he said.
Debris after the explosion
The building collapsed due to an unspecified explosion, officials said. Emergency services and rescue teams remained at the scene for hours after the incident, continuing to clear the debris and search for people still trapped.
Muktsar Senior Superintendent of Police Akhil Chaudhary said initial reports suggest that the blast took place in the factory's cracker production area. Due to the explosion, the building collapsed. He said it appears that the deaths were primarily due to structural damage rather than fire.