CHANDIGARH: Six persons were burnt alive and at least 14 others suffered serious burn injuries on Tuesday, in an explosion at a illegal fire cracker factory in Una district of Himachal Pradesh.
Sources said firecrackers were manufactured illegally in a private-rented building at Bathu-Bathri in the Tahliwal Industrial area of Haroli sub division of Una district.
At around 11.30am, there was a huge explosion in the factory. Six persons were charred to death on the spot.
Around 14 others, including women, sustained serious injuries and were rushed to Sian Hospital at Bathri. From there, they were referred to the Regional Hospital at Una.
Eleven of them were later referred to the a hospital in Chandigarh. Most of the labourers were women and migrants from Uttar Pradesh. The toll could rise as the condition of 10 is said to be critical.
Sources said this unit started functioning around two months ago and it was not registered with the state industries department.
The cause of the blast is yet to be ascertained.
The police have seized heavy amounts of raw material used to make firecrackers.
The village pradhan said the owners did not obtain any no-objection certificate from the panchayat. An eyewitness said locals were not aware that it was a firecracker factory.