8 killed as fire sets off explosions at illegal fireworks unit in Jaipur

District Admin, Police Had No Idea It Existed

Jaipur: Eight people were killed when a blaze at an illegal fireworks factory and warehouse in Jaipur’s Kho Nagoriyan area triggered a series of explosions Tuesday, sparking alarm across the densely populated neighbourhood, police said.

The blaze broke out around 11am in the Talai area, Kho Nagoriyan SHO Om Prakash Matwa said. At least two workers with burns on nearly 95% of their bodies died after being admitted to different hospitals.

Police identified the victims as Mohammad Ashraf (40), Mohammad Rabil (16), Abdul Wahid (46), Sameer Khan (20), Nasir Khan (25) and brothers Bilal (28) and Azim (18). One of the victims was charred beyond recognition and is yet to be identified.

Police said the building owner had rented out the premises to a group that filled gunpowder in prefabricated firecracker shells, with finished firecrackers being transported out of Jaipur. “Neither the police nor the district administration had any inkling of the existence of this factory and warehouse,” police sources said.

Investigators are looking into land ownership records, licensing documents and the supply chain linked to the premises.

Residents of the area first reported hearing a loud explosion, followed by a series of rapid blasts from detonating firecrackers. Liaqat, who lives next to the factory, said he locked his house and fled with his entire family after hearing the first explosions.

Another resident, Fakruddin, said one of the victims staggered out of the factory and collapsed at his doorstep. Fakruddin’s wife said the victim, whose skin was almost completely burnt, kept pleading for water.

Local residents tried to control the flames before firefighters arrived by calling for a water tanker to the site and forming bucket chains to ferry water to the burning building. Eyewitnesses said three to four people were pulled out of the premises, one of whom succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

Jaipur police commissioner Sachin Mittal, additional commissioner Rajeev Pachar and DCP (East) Ranjita Sharma reached the spot and supervised rescue and relief work. A detailed investigation was launched to determine the cause of the fire.

Officials said all indications suggest the factory was operating illegally in a residential area, adding that strict action would be initiated against those found responsible.

Reacting to the incident, Congress MLA Amin Kagzi questioned how such a large stockpile of explosive material was allowed to be stored in a densely populated locality, and criticised attempts to downplay the scale of the incident.

Many residents of the Kho Nagoriyan said they were aware of the factory’s existence, but were completely in the dark about the kind of work being carried out inside. Others claimed they rarely saw much activity at the premises and had no information about the building’s ownership.

Many, however, said they had long suspected that firecrackers were being manufactured and stored in the building because of occasional sounds and odours emanating from it.

The factory was located in the midst of closely packed houses connected by narrow lanes, with several families living just metres away from the point of explosion.

The tragedy has prompted questions over whether routine inspections by civic, police or other regulatory authorities could have detected any illegal activity before the fire claimed eight lives.