4 Killed, 4 Critical In Cracker Blast In Odisha’s Khurda

Bhubaneswar: At least four persons were killed and as many critically injured in an explosion during manufacturing of firecrackers at a village in Odisha’s Khurda district on Monday.

The incident took place at Bhusandapur village under the jurisdiction of Tangi police station when firecrackers were being made as part of preparation for Dola festival, sources said.

The victims were engaged in manufacturing of firecrackers in a house when the explosives went off. The house in which the manufacturing process was on also caught fire.

While four of them died, four others sustained critical burn and were rushed to the district headquarters hospital in Khurda for treatment. Steps were taken to shift some of them to AIIMS Bhubaneswar as their condition deteriorated, sources said.

Khurda collector K Sudarshan Chakravarthy said it appeared that the firecrackers were being made illegally without any permission and the whole incident is being thoroughly probed.

On getting information, fire services personnel rushed to the site and launched an operation to douse the flame. A team of police personnel also visited the site and launched a probe.

It may be recalled that, two people were killed and two others seriously injured in an explosion in a firecracker unit in Ichhapur village under Balikuda police limits in Jagatsinghpur on February 28