Balasore: A woman and her 10-year-old son sustained critical burns in a firecracker explosion suspected to have been triggered by an incense stick in Jaleswar area of Odisha’s Balasore district.
As per preliminary information, the mishap took place at Salikotha village under Ahura panchayat of Jaleswar block on Friday night. The injured have been admitted to the district headquarters hospital (DHH) in Balasore.
While the exact cause of the explosion has not been established till now, preliminary investigation revealed that the fire was triggered by a mosquito coil.
Locals said the woman was making firecrackers when her minor son went to the site with a burning mosquito coil. Seeing his mother, the boy rushed towards her and a portion of the burnt coil fell on the raw materials triggering the explosion. The two got trapped inside the room as the crackers exploded and fire soon engulfed the area.
On being informed, a fire service team immediately rushed to the spot and rescued the woman and her son. They were first taken to a hospital in Jaleswar and later referred to the DHH in Balasore.
The village is reported to be a hub of illegal firecracker manufacturing. Last month, police had arrested one person who owned one of these units.
Following the fresh incident, police have launched a hunt for the owner who is stated to be absconding.
