Jharkhand: Five killed, five injured as illegal firecracker factory blows up

At least five people were killed and five others were injured after a major explosion and fire in a house where illegal fire crackers were manufactured and stored in a village in Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district, police said.

The fire that broke out around 4 pm caused a wall of the house located at Kumardubi village, about 85-km from Jamshedpur, to collapse, officer-in-charge of Barsole police station, Binod Paswan said. Some people are feared trapped under it, he said.

“A few villagers were making crackers for the festive season but they suddenly burst killing five people and sparking a fire which also spread to the adjacent houses,” Paswan said.

East Singhbhum Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar said the body of one Patit Pawan Das was found while two severely injured were admitted to a hospital.

Local people said that explosions continued till late in the evening. They alleged that fire tenders did not reach in time and so the fire caused greater damage.

“Five fire tenders are at the spot and 80% flames were doused,” the DC said.

Several people went missing after the incident to escape being arrested for illegal trade of firecrackers in the village. Few people are still trapped in the fire, the villagers claimed.

Local BJP MP Bidyut Baran Mahato, Ghatsila sub-divisional police officer Rajendra Dubey rushed to the spot to speed up the relief and rescue operations.