At least 11 people, including eight children, were killed after a powerful explosion at a firecracker factory in India’s northern Uttar Pradesh state, authorities said.
The blast caused extensive damage in the surrounding area, with several nearby houses collapsing and trapping residents beneath the rubble. Five other people were injured and remain under treatment at a hospital.
The explosion occurred on Monday at a firecracker factory in Kaushambi district of Uttar Pradesh.
The force of the blast damaged nearby structures and caused several houses close to the factory to collapse, according to local authorities and media reports.
Police said most of those killed were residents of homes near the factory rather than people working inside the facility.
8 children among those killed
At least 11 people died after being taken to hospital following the explosion, officials said.
Eight of the victims were children. Local media, including the Hindustan Times, reported that the children were between four and 13 years old.
Police officer Satnarayan Prajapat confirmed the deaths and said five other people were injured in the explosion. The injured victims remain in hospital and are receiving medical treatment.
Authorities have not yet determined what caused the firecracker factory explosion. An investigation has been launched to establish what triggered the blast and determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Officials have warned that the death toll could rise as rescue workers continue searching the affected area and clearing the rubble.
Rescue teams search collapsed buildings
Emergency teams have been deployed to remove debris and search for people who may still be trapped beneath the collapsed structures.
Images and footage from the scene showed heavily damaged buildings and rescue workers combing through piles of rubble in search of possible survivors.
The extensive destruction around the factory has complicated recovery operations, with authorities continuing to assess the full scale of the damage.
Modi offers condolences
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the families of those killed in the explosion.
According to a statement from the Indian Prime Minister’s Office, Modi offered his sympathies to the bereaved families and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
The latest explosion has renewed concerns about safety standards in India’s fireworks industry, where deadly accidents have occurred despite regulations governing the handling and storage of explosive materials.
Industrial and workplace accidents remain a recurring problem in India, with investigators frequently pointing to inadequate safety measures and weak enforcement of existing regulations.
Recent firecracker accidents
The Kaushambi explosion follows several deadly incidents involving fireworks facilities in India this year.
In March, a fire at a fireworks factory in western India killed 17 people.
A month later, eight people were killed when a fire broke out at a firecracker storage facility in southern India.
The latest tragedy has again raised questions about compliance with safety regulations and the enforcement of safeguards at facilities handling explosive materials.
