AHMEDABAD: At least eight people were killed after a powerful explosion tore through a firecracker factory on Ramol-Gatrad Road in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad's Vastral area on Saturday, exposing alleged illegal operations at the unit and prompting police to initiate criminal proceedings under the Explosives Act.
The deafening blast was followed by a massive fire that engulfed the factory, sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky and triggering panic in the surrounding area. The intensity of the explosion was such that personnel stationed at the nearby Vastral Rapid Action Force (RAF) camp immediately rushed towards the site even before firefighting teams arrived.
Rescue operations began within minutes as RAF personnel entered the burning premises and pulled out trapped and injured workers from the debris. Their swift response proved crucial during the initial moments before emergency services reached the spot.
Soon afterwards, the Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services launched a full-scale rescue and firefighting operation. More than five fire tenders, ambulances, and senior fire officials, including the Chief Fire Officer, were deployed to control the blaze and search for survivors.
Firefighters battled intense flames while simultaneously carrying out search operations inside the heavily damaged structure.
Initial findings indicate that around eight to ten workers were present inside the factory when the explosion occurred. Several workers were trapped beneath the debris as the structure collapsed following the blast, leaving rescue teams to conduct painstaking searches amid dangerous conditions.
Ahmedabad Mayor Hitesh Barot said, "The Fire and Emergency Services received the distress call at around 3.30 pm, and firefighting teams rushed to the spot without delay. The blaze was brought under control swiftly, while rescue operations were carried out simultaneously. All the injured have been shifted to Civil Hospital, where they are currently undergoing treatment."
Confirming the casualties, Sector-2 Joint Commissioner of Police Jaipal Singh Rathod told local media that eight bodies had been recovered from the site.
"The firecracker factory was being operated by Mehul Dodiya in an open field behind the RAF camp on Ramol-Gatrad Road. Eight bodies have been recovered from the site, and further legal action is underway," Rathod said.
Local Authority’s claimed that the licence for the factory had already been cancelled, but despite that, the unit continued to operate illegally.
The revelation that the factory was allegedly functioning despite cancellation of its licence has brought regulatory lapses under scrutiny. Investigators are now examining how the unit continued manufacturing and storing explosive materials despite losing official permission to operate.
Police officials said forensic experts and bomb disposal teams have been called to collect evidence from the blast site. Investigators will also examine whether safety protocols were violated and whether explosives were being stored beyond permissible limits.
Authorities have secured the area while the exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation. Officials are also verifying the identities of the deceased and tracing the employment records of the workers present inside the factory.
Police said the Ramol police station will register an FIR against the factory owner under the Explosives Act and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and applicable laws. Further investigation is underway to determine criminal negligence and fix accountability for one of the deadliest industrial explosions in the city in recent times.