This story is from May 5, 2020

Blast in Kaushambi firecracker manufacturing unit kills 3 women

Blast in Kaushambi firecracker manufacturing unit kills 3 women
The owner of the manufacturing unit managed to flee the scene
Prayagraj: Three women were killed and two others were injured after an explosion in a firecracker manufacturing unit in Bharwari, under Kokhraj police station, in Kaushambi district on Monday.
IG (Prayagraj range) KP Singh said, “A 22-year-old woman who worked at the factory died on spot, while the two others succumbed to their injuries during treatment at hospital.
An FIR was lodged against the unit’s owner Haider Ali alias Pappu, Vaish, Saif, Munna, Chand, Pintoo and one other person.” The accused were booked under sections 188, 286, and 304 of the IPC and section 98 of Explosive Act.
The deceased, identified as Geeta (22), Radhika ( 27) and Pushpa (18), all residents of Bharwari. Ali ran the manufacturing unit in ward number 2 in Bharwari area.
“Around 4am police was alerted that there had been an LPG cylinder blast. However, when senior police officials reached the spot they found that it was an explosion of a much bigger scale.”
Police said the explosion occurred when three to four employees were working in the manufacturing unit. Police are yet to find out what might have triggered the blast.
Soon after the blast, locals rushed to the spot and tried to douse the flames with the buckets water, while also helping the police with rescue operations.
“There was too much smoke and dust. We were not able to find out what actually happened. The entire building collapsed due to the force of the blast,” said a local resident of Bharwari area.

The manufacturing unit’s owner Haider Ali and his family members managed to flee the scene.
The explosion was so severe that it also damaged the window panes of neighbouring houses. Local residents claimed that explosion damaged the window panes of one Esha’s house, leaving his wife Albeena and son Nazim injured.
Police said it was not clear if Haider had a valid license for running the firecracker manufacturing unit. Meanwhile, local residents told the police that Haider and his brothers did not have a license to stock up on the raw materials used in manufacturing firecrackers. They had been running the unit since the past three years.
The explosion site was just 100 metres away from the local police outpost.
One of the victim Geeta’s family alleged that Haider and his wife had come to their house early morning and had asked the deceased to come back to the unit. “The factory had been closed due to the lockdown. They had also called up two other women for the same,” the family alleged.
End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA