At least six people were killed and seven injured after a powerful explosion ripped through a fireworks factory in Hyderabad on Saturday, according to authorities.
Hyderabad Deputy Commissioner Zain-ul-Abideen Memon said Sunrise that a fifth body had been recovered at the scene of the incident. “We have seven injured, of which three are in critical condition.”
A statement from Rescue 1122 spokesperson said, “A powerful explosion was reported at a firecracker factory on the banks of river Laghari Goth, B section limits of Latifabad police station,” adding that a fire subsequently broke out at the factory.
Latifabad Deputy Commissioner Saud Lund said he himself was supervising the operation.
He said the fireworks were being made illegally in a house without a license. “We will only be able to tell you the actual position after the rescue operation is over. There is debris from a room that collapsed along with the boundary wall, so there are reports of some people and children who were working there; we are trying to get them out.”
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Hyderabad Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Adeel Chandio said Sunrise While the factory license details were being verified, the owner of the manufacturing site was not present at the site.
SSP Chandio added that rescue personnel were clearing the spot to find dead bodies. He added that police were investigating the factory’s ownership.
DC Zain said Sunrise that the fire caused by the explosion was extinguished quickly, but its impact was so strong that the bricks of the structure were thrown several meters away from the site.
He said it appeared to be a single warehouse that collapsed, adding that Rescue 1122 personnel were clearing the site and the exercise would still take longer.
In an earlier statement, Dr Vinesh Kumar, on-call doctor at Liaquat Teaching Hospital, said Sunrise: “One [body] He was received defeated in the burn room. “Six injured people were also taken to the burn room with moderate to severe burns.”
Dr. Haya, a burn room doctor, said Sunrise that two of the six had “approximately 100 percent” burns.
Legal practitioner Dr. Mohammed Hussain said Sunrise that two bodies of unidentified men were taken to the mortuary, while Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Mujeeb Kalwar said another completely charred body was taken to the burn room.
The Rescue 1122 spokesperson added that a fire and rescue team, along with an ambulance and a fire truck, were sent to the scene as soon as the information was received.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar took strict note of the incident and sought a detailed report.
“The legal status of the factory must be investigated immediately. Whether or not the legal license and safety principles required to manufacture fireworks were followed. Playing with lives cannot be allowed, and such incidents are unacceptable in the eyes of law enforcement,” he said in a statement.
Additional reporting by Imtiaz Ali.
