Blast at illegal firecracker unit in Nuh injures four people, owner on the run

At least four people were grievously injured after a fire broke out at an illegal firecrackers unit, leading to a massive explosion in Shah Chaukha village in Pinangwan in Nuh on late Monday evening, said police on Tuesday

At least four people were grievously injured after a fire broke out at an illegal firecrackers unit, leading to a massive explosion in Shah Chaukha village in Pinangwan in Nuh on late Monday evening, said police on Tuesday.

Blast at illegal firecracker unit in Nuh injures four people, owner on the run

According to villagers, around 10 people were present inside the makeshift unit at the time of the blast. On seeing the unit catch fire, villagers rushed out of their houses and ran towards the unit to douse the flames. Villagers also poured water on to the flames to put the fire out as crackers kept bursting after short intervals fore more than 20 minutes, said eyewitnesses.

The intensity of the fire was such that it gutted the firecrackers unit completely and also damaged more than 10 houses in the neighbourhood. Taufiq Khan, one of the residents, said bricks of a temporary accommodation built near the spot began to fly in the air due to the bursting of crackers. “Initially, we thought someone was bursting crackers but after a few minutes, 10 houses caught fire and there was a loud noise of an explosion. A large number of people gathered near the unit and rushed the injured to a hospital,” said Khan.

After the roof of the factory caved in within a few minutes of the blast, villagers informed the police and the fire department. “It took three tenders and 15 firefighters more than three hours to bring the fire under control,” said Sahoon (identified by first name), in-charge of Nuh fire station.

Police said the injured are undergoing treatment and one of them has been referred to a hospital in Jaipur in Rajasthan.

The person running the illegal factory was also injured in the blast but fled after the explosion at the firecrackers unit, said police. Usha Kundu, deputy superintendent of police, Nuh, said there were no casualties in the blast. “Three members of a family from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh had set up a unit to manufacture crackers, which they sold for weddings and other celebrations in UP and Haryana,” she said.

Police said there is a possibility that a huge quantity of gunpowder and raw material were kept in the unit, which led to the massive explosion.

Tayyab Ali, another villager who was present at the spot, said his fridge and television set were gutted in the fire as his room was close to the firecracker unit. “The factory started functioning about four months ago and we reported it to the police at the time. The unit had no regular water or electricity connection or the required permission to manufacture firecrackers in the area. Some villagers rented out the community land to the people from UP and we were unhappy with the decision,” said Ali.

Varun Singla, superintendent of Nuh police, said they are conducting investigation and trying to find the source of raw material. “We will bust the entire network of suppliers and receivers of the banned crackers. We have also registered a case against villagers, who had given the community land on rent,” said Singla.

A case was registered against 10 people, including the owner of the firecracker unit, under sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 286 (dealing with any explosive substance with negligence) of the IPC and Section 9-B of the Explosive Substances Act at Pinangwan police station on Monday night. One of the suspects was arrested on Tuesday

One of the suspects was arrested on Tuesday after multiple raids in Delhi, UP and Nuh, said police.