18 Killed, 5 Injured in Blast and Collapse at Firecracker Warehouse in Gujarat’s Banaskantha
PALANPUR (Gujarat), April 1: A tragic explosion at a firecracker warehouse in Banaskantha district, Gujarat, claimed the lives of 18 people and left five others injured on Tuesday morning. The blast, which occurred around 9:45 AM in an industrial area near Deesa town, also caused the building’s slab to collapse.
Superintendent of Police Akshayraj Makwana confirmed that the victims were workers from Madhya Pradesh, along with their family members. Most fatalities resulted from the debris following the building’s collapse.
Authorities have clarified that the unit was used for storing firecrackers, though there is no indication that firecrackers were being actively manufactured at the time of the explosion.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed deep condolences over the incident and announced financial assistance for the affected families. “The tragic loss of workers’ lives due to fire and slab collapse in the firecracker warehouse is heartbreaking. My heartfelt condolences go out to their families,” Patel said. The state government will provide Rs 4 lakh to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also expressed grief, particularly for the workers hailing from MP. He assured that his government was coordinating with Gujarat authorities and would extend full assistance to the affected families.
Rescue and relief efforts are ongoing, with local authorities working to provide medical treatment to the injured.
