Gujarat: 4 of a family die in Kushinagar firecracker blast

Rescue workers near the explosion site at Kaptanganj in Kushinagar district, Wednesday. (PTI)

FOUR MEMBERS of a family were killed, and nine people were injured on Wednesday morning in an explosion in a house in Kushinagar district’s Kaptanganj area where firecrackers were stored.

Circle Officer (Kasya) Piyush Kant Rai said they suspect that a cooking gas cylinder exploded after firecrackers caught fire, leading to casualties. “The blast happened around six in the morning. A family of eight persons lived in the one-room house. They cooked there as well. We suspect that while cooking, the fire may have spread leading to the firecrackers catching fire. It will only become clear once the forensic report comes. But we suspect that the cooking cylinder exploded due to the fire affecting nearby houses. The family had illegally stored crackers at the house,” said Rai.

“The rescue operation took some time as walls of the house had collapsed. The wall of the neighbour’s house also came down from the blast’s impact,” said the officer.

Police have identified the deceased as Javed (35), his wife Anwari (34), his mother Fatima (61) and niece Nazia (15). Police said the four died on the spot.

“Out of the nine injured, one is serious. They were neighbours of Javed, while some of the injured are also from Javed’s family. At least eight people stayed in Javed’s house. The injured are being treated at the government hospital,” said the CO.

After the incident, four policemen – Sub-Inspector Ritesh Singh, Beat Head Constable Manik Chand, constables Santosh Kumar and Manish Prasad — were suspended for alleged laxity in their duty.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App.