Firecrackers factory blast kills 32 in India
Firecrackers stored in a factory warehouse exploded in the eastern Indian state of Bihar yesterday, killing at least 32 people and injuring 72, police said. "So far 32 bodies have been removed," state police chief Ashish Ranjan Sinha said. He said the...
Firecrackers stored in a factory warehouse exploded in the eastern Indian state of Bihar yesterday, killing at least 32 people and injuring 72, police said.
"So far 32 bodies have been removed," state police chief Ashish Ranjan Sinha said. He said the incident took place in a factory located in a congested area of Khusrupur town, about 50 kilomtres south of the state capital, Patna.
About 50 labourers were working in the building at the time of the blast, he added. NDTV news channel said many people were trapped under the debris and rescue workers were trying to pull them out.
Several of the injured were in a serious condition, district administrator B. Rajendra, told the Press Trust of India news agency.
The cause of the explosion was not immediately known. Fire accidents at Indian firecracker factories and warehouses occur frequently, particularly before the Hindu festival of Diwali which is celebrated in October-November by bursting firecrackers.