Harda Factory Blast: Death Toll Rises To 11, PM Modi And MP CM Yadav Announce Ex-Gratia. Top Points

An incident unfolded in Harda town, Madhya Pradesh, as a fire erupted in a firecracker factory, resulting in at least eleven fatalities and 63 other people sustaining injuries.

At least eleven people were killed and dozens injured after an explosion leading to a blaze at a firecracker factory in Madhya Pradesh's Harda on Tuesday, news agency PTI reported citing officials. The explosion occurred in the Bairagarh locality on Magardha road, situated on the outskirts of Harda town, approximately 150 km from Bhopal, the state capital.

Videos circulated on social media depicted the intensity of the blaze, with intermittent explosions and people fleeing the site.

Top Points: 

1. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav visited Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal to meet those injured in the firecracker factory fire incident.

2. Providing an update on the situation, IG Narmadapuram Irshad Wali stated that an FIR has been registered in connection with the incident. He reported that debris removal is underway, with additional machines deployed for a swift clearance. The fire has been brought under control, and precautionary measures, such as evacuating nearby houses and cordoning off the affected area, have been implemented.

3. Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased. CM Yadav declared Rs 4 lakh assistance for each deceased's kin, with the state government covering the entire cost of treatment for the injured.

4. President Droupadi Murmu also expressed her condolences over the incident. In an X post she wrote: "The news of death of many people due to fire in Harda, Madhya Pradesh is extremely sad. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured". 

5. Chief Minister Yadav, reacting promptly to the tragedy, convened a meeting and announced the initiation of contact with the Army to arrange helicopters for rescue operations, ABP News reporter Nitin Thakur reported from Bhopal. 

6. Government helicopters will transport the injured to hospitals, with a green corridor being established from Harda to Bhopal for swift transportation. State Government Minister Uday Pratap Singh visited the incident site, providing updates on the evacuation of injured individuals to hospitals in Hoshangabad and Bhopal.

7. Madhya Pradesh Minister Prahlad Singh Patel confirmed the deployment of a team of ministers and officials to the site. Burn units in hospitals across Indore, Bhopal, and AIIMS Bhopal were directed to prepare for emergency cases.

8. According to reporter Nitin Thakur, a disaster management committee, chaired by Mohammad Suleman, Additional Chief Secretary of the Public Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education Department, has been constituted to review the incident. The committee includes officials from various departments, such as Religious Trusts and Endowments, Backward Classes and Minority Welfare, and Urban Development and Housing.

9. In a meeting, CM Yadav prioritised immediate treatment for the injured, dispatching ambulances from surrounding areas and reaching out to the Army for helicopter assistance. Fourteen doctors were swiftly deployed to Harda, and 70 ambulances were mobilised to the site from various locations, Nitin Thakur reported. 

10. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath commented on the severity of the incident, emphasising the need for a comprehensive investigation. He asserted that all those responsible for the tragedy should be identified and punished accordingly.