6 dead and over 60 injured in Madhya Pradesh’s firecracker factory blast

At least 6 people have been killed and over 60 injured after a massive fire broke out in a firecracker factory on Tuesday in Madhya Pradesh’s Harda. Those injured have been rushed to hospitals for immediate medical attention. The residents in the nearby Seoni Malwa area of Narmadapuram district reported feeling tremors after the explosions.

"A massive explosion took place in the factory on Tuesday morning. The whole city was engulfed with black smoke. After receiving the information, fire brigade vehicles have been sent to the spot. The cause of the fire is currently unknown. Ambulances and fire engines have been called from Harda, Betul, Khandwa and Narmadapuram,” said Sanjeev Kanchan, Harda's Superintendent of Police.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav informed that firefighting units have been sent from Indore and Bhopal to tame the flames. “Very sad news was received about a fire in a firecracker factory in Harda. Minister Shri @udaypratapmp ji and senior officials are reaching the incident site. Medical colleges in Bhopal and Indore and burn units in AIIMS Bhopal have been asked to make the necessary preparations. Besides, fire brigades are also being sent from Indore and Bhopal,” posted the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister on “X”. The Chief Minister has announced a Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia for the families of the deceased and assured that medical treatment for the injured will be provided without charge.

"The rescue operation is on. We have also called in the National Disaster Response Force," said District Collector Rishi Garg. Firefighters have arrived at the scene and are actively engaged in efforts to extinguish the flames. According to a factory employee who managed to escape after the outbreak of fire, approximately 150 workers were present on the premises at the time of the incident.

The explosion led to the destruction of at least 60 houses in the vicinity, with more than three dozen commuters suffering the effects of the blast. The authorities have taken the precautionary measure of evacuating over 100 households. As per reports, several motorcycles and scooters were engulfed in flames as a result of the explosion.