5 dead as blast rips through house storing firecrackers in Bihar village

PATNA: Five persons were killed, while three others were injured after massive explosion took place in a house due to fire catching in firecrackers in Siwan district on Friday.The incident occurred in Alampur village under Jamo Bazar police station area.Five bodies were recovered from the scene in the explosion that occurred around 5.30pm in the evening.Eight persons were reported to be in the house during the explosion. However, they escaped from the spot with minor burn injuries and rushed to local hospital. The explosion was so intense that debris of front part of house fell on road.Maharajganj SDPO, Aman Kumar informed that Md Amiruddin, 65, his two grand-daughters of 14 and eight years of age, a 10-year-old neighbour boy and an unidentified person were found dead.Taking strict note of the gravity of the incident and alleged local negligence, Siwan SP Bharat Soni ordered the immediate suspension of the Jamo Bazar SHO, Dhiraj kumar and local chowkidar Chandrika Manjhi.As per information, firecrackers were stored in the house of Alampur resident Mohd Amiruddin Mian, who is said to be a firecracker trader.The fire soon spread to other firecrackers stored there, triggering continuous explosions. Blast sounds were heard intermittently for about two hours.Panic gripped the nearby areas after the incident. People were terrified by the sound of explosions and chaos prevailed at the spot.Due to the damage to the house and the severity of the blast, relief and identification work faced difficulties.Senior officials, including the district magistrate (DM) of Siwan, Vijay Prakash Meena and the superintendent of police (SP), Bharat Soni visited the scene.A medical team, fire department, electricity department, dog squad, and a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team were deployed to cordon off the area and collect scientific evidence.Siwan DM Vijay Prakash Meena said information was being received about firecracker manufacturing in house. Explosion took place in the same house.SP Bharat Soni said five deaths had been confirmed so far, while the whereabouts of three other people remained uncertain as they left for some private hospitals on their own.They had reportedly received minor injuries. The figure of eight was based on information provided by local residents, including village representatives, and the authorities were awaiting further confirmation from the medical team, he said.“A special police team under the leadership of the SDPO Maharajganj, Aman Kumar has been formed to thoroughly investigate all aspects of the case. An FIR has been registered, with CI (circle inspector) Maharajganj appointed as the investigating officer (IO)”, Siwan SP said.The SP said local residents had claimed that the family possessed a licence for firecracker-related work and had been engaged in the trade for around 20 years.However, the police would verify the licence and other relevant documents as part of the investigation.“We will register an FIR and investigate where the firecrackers were sourced, whether the necessary licences were valid and whether the work was being carried out in accordance with the rules,” Soni said.He added that officials had earlier been directed to verify licences and related arrangements in their respective areas.The investigation would also examine whether any shortcomings had occurred during the verification process and fix responsibility wherever lapses were established.A team from the FSL reached the spot to collect samples and examine the circumstances surrounding the explosion.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Patna | Silver Rate in Patna | Bank Holidays in Patna | Public Holidays in Patna | Patna AQI | Weather in Patna | Petrol Price in Patna | Diesel Price in Patna | CNG Price in Patna | LPG Price in PatnaStay updated with the latest Patna news. Download the TOI App.