NAYAGARH/BHUBANESHWAR: Explosion in a fire-cracker unit located at Nayagarh’s Itamati left two dead and at least 13 injured on Friday afternoon.
At least seven of the injured have been shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital which has a dedicated burn unit. They are believed to have suffered 80 percent burns.
The rest were taken to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar. Itamati, where the fire-cracker unit is located, is about four kilometers from Nayagarh town.
Preliminary investigation suggested that the unit had a huge stock of fire-crackers. Although the reason behind the explosion is yet to be ascertained, accidental fire may have caused the explosion.
Such was impact of the explosion that it brought down the whole unit leaving the workers exposed to extreme heat and flying debris. Some of the injured were retrieved from under the collapsed structure. The fire tenders which were pressed into service had to spray water from a distance to avoid injury.
The dead body was found from the rubbles and is yet to be identified. Fire fighters suspect that another body may still have been trapped.
DG, Fire Services Binoy Behera said, the fire has been controlled. Fire tenders and personnel from Nayagarh and Bolagarh were pressed to tackle the situation.
Nayagarh SP K Vishal Singh said, the fire cracker factory appeared to be a licensed unit but it is still being verified.