Eighteen people were killed, 5 were injured in a blast that led to fire and building collapse in a firecracker factory in the Banaskantha district of Gujarat on Tuesday, Police said, news agency PTI reported.
Earlier in the day, Inspector Vijay Chaudhary of Deesa Rural Police Station told PTI that several workers were trapped when some parts of the factory near the town collapsed due to a series of explosions after the fire broke out.
Banaskantha Collector Mihir Patel also said that they were notified about the big explosion in the industrial area of Deesa in the morning. The explosion was so impactful that it resulted in the factory collapsing.
"This morning, we received information about a big explosion in the industrial area of Deesa. The fire brigade reached the spot and controlled the fire. 10 workers died on the spot. Many injured workers were referred to different hospitals. The explosion was so powerful that the factory has collapsed," Collector Mihir Patel told news agency ANI.
The fire was reported around 9.30 AM. Multiple firetenders rushed to the spot to control the fire. An SDRF team is also on the spot to assist in rescue operations. According to sources, more people are feared to be trapped under the debris, or dead.
The owner of the factory-cum-warehouse is absconding, said the police.
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