Kaushambi: At least 11 people were killed and five others injured after a massive fire triggered a series of explosions at a firecracker factory in Manouri Bazaar under Pipri police station limits of Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi district on Monday, district authorities said.
District Magistrate Amit Pal Sharma said rescue and relief operations were still underway, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) deployed at the site.
According to the administration, 11 deaths have been confirmed so far, while five injured people are undergoing treatment at Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital in Prayagraj. Authorities said immediate medical assistance had been arranged for anyone found during the ongoing search operation.
The District Magistrate assured strict action against those responsible for the tragedy. He said criminal cases would be registered under stringent provisions of the law and that strict measures, including property attachment, would be initiated in accordance with government directives.
Following the explosions, administrative and police teams cordoned off the area and intensified rescue operations. Officials fear that more people could still be trapped beneath the debris of the factory and nearby structures that collapsed in the blasts.
Search and clearance operations are continuing.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed deep sorrow over the incident and directed officials to expedite rescue operations and ensure proper medical treatment for the injured. He also instructed the administration to provide all possible assistance to the affected families.
Local residents were among the first to join the rescue efforts following the explosions. Villagers were seen pulling people trapped under debris and those suffering burn injuries to the roadside on makeshift stretchers, from where ambulances took them to SRN Hospital.
A child is reported to be among the critically injured. Several residents of nearby houses were also injured in the explosions.
The Chief Minister announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those killed and Rs 50,000 each to those injured. He also prayed for the peace of the deceased and the speedy recovery of those undergoing treatment.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya also expressed grief over the tragedy, describing the deaths of multiple members of a single family as heartbreaking.
He directed hospital authorities to provide the best possible treatment to the injured and stressed that saving lives remained the government's top priority.
The aftermath of the disaster highlighted the scale of devastation caused by the explosions. Images from the site showed relatives desperately searching through the rubble for missing family members, while others rushed to hospitals seeking information about their loved ones.
With IANS inputs