BERHAMPUR: The death toll in the firecracker blast in Nayagarh district rose to four after a 15-year-old boy succumbed to burn injuries at AIIMS, Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as Amit Sethi, a native of Gereda village in Bhanjanagar block of Ganjam district. He was one of the six persons who suffered injuries in the explosion while reportedly making firecrackers at Karada village under Nuagaon police limits in Nayagarh on April 3.
Amit reportedly suffered nearly 90 per cent burns in the mishap. Police sources said the boy was staying at his brother-in-law’s house in Nayagarh for studies. He came in contact with Niranjan Nahak (38) and Bapuni Nahak (35) who reportedly offered him some money to assist them in preparing firecrackers.
Amit along with others was reportedly engaged in filling gunpowder into locally-made ‘kumpi’ firecrackers when a fire broke out in the illegal cracker manufacturing unit, triggering the explosion.
Fire services personnel and police rushed the injured persons to a primary health centre at Nuagaon and later shifted them to district headquarters hospital as their condition was critical. Subsequently, they were referred to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar.
On Monday, Bapuni, and Niranjan succumbed during treatment while Hadibandhu Sethi (60), the owner of the illegal unit, died on Tuesday. Two others, Manoj Nayak (38) and Naba Sethi (35), remain in critical condition.
So far, Nuagaon police has arrested four persons in connection with the incident. Raids on illegal firecracker manufacturing units operating without proper licence are underway, said police.