Explosion at Palghar Firecracker Unit Kills Two, Injures Four

Two fatally, four wounded in blast at firecracker unit in Palghar.

Palghar, Two people were killed and four others were severely injured following an explosion that tore through a firecracker producing factory in the Palghar district in Maharashtra on Tuesday, police said.

The tragedy is followed by the explosion in a firecracker factory in Tamil Nadu which has killed 23 people and injured many more on Sunday.

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The bomb went off at around 12 pm at a temporary firecracker production unit situated in a tin shed in a deserted farmhouse in Konsai village of Wada taluka, according to Vivekanand Kadam, head of the civic disaster management cell.

As many as 35 workers, mostly women, were engaged in manufacturing "twine bombs" at the time, he said.

"Fire services and police reached the spot immediately to oversee rescue operations. The blaze following the explosion was quickly brought under control by the fire brigade," the official said.

Four other workers were seriously injured and rushed to Wada Rural Hospital. Others were then transferred to the Bhiwandi sub-district hospital and one more treatment center to be attended to their advanced treatment, he said.

The official said that fire brigade immediately arrived at the scene to control the blaze that followed the explosion and police arrived on the scene to supervise rescue efforts.

According to the authorities, the deceased have been identified as Bhavesh Dileep Vavare and Monica Sachin Padvale.

According to initial inquiries, raw materials were being imported to the unit, which had opened shop on April 10 and daily-wage workers of the neighboring villages, such as Jamghar, Konsai, Palsai and Alman, were hired in the plant, he added.

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An investigation by the police is being conducted to determine whether or not the manufacturing unit had the required licenses and observed safety measures, he said.

The official said that they are investigating the precise source of the fire and investigating whether there was any laxity on the safety precautions taken on the premises and that they are also searching to locate the owners of the manufacturing unit.

The factory shed was destroyed in the explosion and the splinters were scattered in the area.

The official said body parts of the deceased were discovered some distance away of the scene of the huge explosion, and have been taken to the post-mortem.

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