Blast at firecracker unit in Odisha claims 2 lives; 3 others injured

Two persons lost their lives after a blast tore apart a firecracker unit at Ichhapur village under Jagatsinghpur’s Balikuda block on Tuesday.

Three other workers including the owner of the manufacturing unit sustained burn injuries. Initially, the injured were sent to the Jagatsinghpur hospital for treatment and were later shifted to SCB medical in Cuttack after their health condition deteriorated.

As per reports, the workers at the unit were manufacturing firecrackers when the mishap occurred which not only destroyed the unit completely, but the resultant fire also gutted a house and huge quantities of paddy stored nearby.

An eyewitness said, “It is an unfortunate incident. Due to the heavy demand for firecrackers this wedding season, the workers were busy manufacturing. While two workers died on spot, three others including the owner of the unit sustained serious injuries.”

Following the blast, the fire department arrived at the spot and doused the flames.

The police have launched a probe to ascertain the exact cause of the blast.

(Reported By Ramakant Nayak, OTV)