KAKINADA: A catastrophic explosion tore through a firecracker manufacturing unit at Vetlapalem village in Samarlakota mandal of Kakinada district on Saturday, killing 20 workers and leaving nine others critically injured.
The blast occurred around 2 pm at Surya Fireworks, owned by Adabala Arjun, when nearly 30-35 workers, mostly women, had returned from their lunch break.
The force of the explosion was so intense that body parts of the victims were flung into nearby paddy fields up to 5 km away, shocking villagers who rushed to the site.
Horrifying scenes unfolded as locals carried remains in makeshift sheets fashioned from fertiliser bags.
Rescue teams, aided by drones, scoured agricultural lands to locate missing workers. Flames spread nearly 1 km, and the deafening blast caused cracks in nearby houses and a school building. More than 15 fire tenders were deployed to contain the blaze.
Hospital authorities reported that several survivors sustained burns ranging from 90 to 100 per cent. Nine injured workers are undergoing treatment at Kakinada government hospital and private facilities, while two remain untraced.
Officials suspect the accident was triggered by over-pressurisation during the filling of firecracker materials, with large stocks stored inside the unit making the blast catastrophic.
CM consoles affected families, suspends 4 district officials
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy, announcing Rs 2 lakh ex gratia to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. “Pained by the loss of lives in the explosion at a factory in the Kakinada district of Andhra Pradesh. I extend my condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon,” he said in a post on X.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also conveyed condolences, describing the incident as a “tragic fire accident.” He assured that rescue and relief operations were underway and medical care was being provided to the injured.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who arrived in Kakinada to monitor the situation, described the incident as “really painful” and directed officials to extend immediate assistance. “We are monitoring the rescue efforts and will come to the aid of the affected families,” he said.
Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan instructed Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh to assist victims’ families, who later visited the hospital along with MP Uday Srinivas Tangella.
District Collector Shan Mohan Sagili and Superintendent of Police Bindu Madhav inspected the site, coordinating rescue measures. Local leaders, including Prathipadu MLA Varupula Satya Prabha, BJP State president PVN Madhav, and former MLA SVSN Varma, also joined the Chief Minister’s tour. Vetlapalem has a history of firecracker-related accidents.
In July 2014, a blast in the same village caused multiple injuries, while a similar explosion at Vakatippa in U Kothapalli mandal, later that year killed 18 people. Despite repeated tragedies, firecracker manufacturing has continued in the region, with products sold at roadside outlets for festivals, political events, and even community rituals. Durgesh emphasised that most of the workers belonged to poor sections of society and assured that the government would take steps to support the affected families.
After consoling the victims’ families and the injured at the Government General Hospital in Kakinada, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu visited the mishap site in Vetlapalem village, setting aside security protocols to personally assess the situation.
He expressed grave concern over the tragedy, noting that 20 people, including nine women, had lost their lives, while nine remained in critical condition, and 31 others were injured. Stressing that most victims hailed from poor families working in the firecracker unit for their livelihood, Naidu underscored the seriousness of the lapses that led to the blast.
Taking swift action, the Chief Minister ordered an inquiry into the incident and suspended the RDO, DSP, District Labour Officer and Fire Officer on the spot. He warned that violators of safety rules would face arrest and seizure of property, which could be distributed among victims’ families.