Punjab blast: 5 dead, 29 injured in firecracker factory blast in Muktsar

Punjab blast: The factory, located near the Haryana border, employed several migrant workers engaged in the production and packaging of firecrackers.

Five migrant labourers were killed and 29 others injured in a blast at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Singhewala village of Punjab’s Muktsar district in the early hours of Friday.

The incident occurred in the two-storey factory unit located on Singhawali-Kotli road in Sri Muktsar Sahib. (HT Photo)

The blast, which occurred around 1 am, caused the entire factory structure to collapse.

The factory, located near the Haryana border, employed several migrant workers engaged in the production and packaging of firecrackers. Authorities believe an unspecified explosion triggered the collapse.

“Initial information indicates that the blast occurred in the cracker manufacturing area for reasons yet to be determined. The building collapsed as a result, causing the casualties. Prima facie, it appears the deaths were due to structural damage rather than a fire,” said Muktsar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Akhil Chaudhary.

Lambi Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jaspal Singh later confirmed that five bodies had been recovered from the debris, and 29 injured individuals— all male migrant workers—were rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, and hospitals in Muktsar.

Emergency services and rescue teams, coordinated by the district administration, were still on the scene hours after the explosion, working to clear the rubble and search for anyone who may still be trapped.