4 injured in fire at Badaun house storing firecrackers

Bareilly: Four members of a family were injured after a fire broke out in a house in Alliaihpur Samspur village under Islamnagar police station limits in Badaun, officials said on Saturday.Initially believed to be a gas cylinder blast, police later confirmed that the explosion on Friday evening was caused by illegally stored explosive materials used for firecrackers.According to police, Dheeraj Gupta (36), who runs a grocery shop in the village, had allegedly stored around 20 kg of a sulphur and potash mixture inside his house. The blast injured his wife, Kalpana Gupta (35); mother, Padmavati (60); daughter, Navya; and niece, Tauschika.SP (Rural) Dr Hirdesh Katheriya said, "We were informed about a cylinder blast, but investigation revealed that explosive materials were being stored illegally. Four family members were injured. While Padmavati, Navya, and Tauschika have been discharged, Kalpana remains critical and has been referred to a higher medical centre."An FIR has been registered against Dheeraj Gupta under the Explosives Act and BNS section 125 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others). Forensic experts are examining samples of the seized materials, officials added.