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2 more dead in AP firecracker unit explosion, toll now 8; probe panel formed
The firecracker unit explosion in Andhra Pradesh’s B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district that killed six and injured several on Wednesday afternoon
Hyderabad: Two more people have died after the firecracker unit explosion in Andhra Pradesh’s B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district that killed six and injured several on Wednesday afternoon, with the government constituting a two-member committee on Thursday to investigate the causes of the explosion.
According to police officers, around 40 people were working for the upcoming Diwali festival when the explosion took place around 12:30 pm at the Lakshmi Ganapathi Fireworks factory in Rayavaram block, V. Savaram village.
State chief secretary K. Vijayanand issued an order constituting a committee comprising the principal secretary of the municipal administration and urban development department, S. Suresh Kumar, and Elite Anti-Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement (EAGLE) inspector general of police Ake Ravi Krishna.
According to the government order, the committee would determine what caused the explosion, identify those responsible, and provide recommendations to avoid such incidents in the future through proper standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The committee has been asked to submit its report within a week.
The chief secretary ordered B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district collector Mahesh Kumar and district superintendent of police Rahul Meena to provide all necessary assistance to the inquiry committee and appoint a nodal officer for coordination with its members.
At least six charred bodies were recovered on Wednesday, Meena said, adding, “Two workers with severe burns were shifted to the Anaparthi Government Hospital for emergency treatment, while others injured in the explosion were admitted to nearby private hospitals.”
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“One of the critically injured workers died during treatment late on Wednesday night, and the other person died on Thursday morning,” he added.
The deceased were identified as factory owner Veligubantla Satyanarayana Murthy alias Sattibabu (65); Chitturi Shyamala (38); Kudipudi Jyoti (38); Penke Sesharatnam (40); K. Sadananda (48); Paka Aruna (35); and Potnuri Venkataramana (56). The body of one more victim is yet to be identified.
Preliminary investigation indicated that the accident took place while explosives were being filled into firecrackers using a mechanical device, a police officer familiar with the development said. “We are suspecting that sparks from the machine might have ignited nearby fireworks and raw materials, leading to a chain of explosions. There is also a suspicion of a short circuit, which could have intensified the fire,” he added.
The factory management claimed to have followed fire safety norms, though the authorities suspect production beyond the permitted limits and the employment of unskilled workers in hazardous tasks.
