A huge explosion in a firecracker factory in Gurdaspur in Punjab has left at least 23 dead with many feared trapped inside the building. The explosion took place in the Batala area of the city at around 4 pm on Wednesday afternoon.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh tweeted, “Deeply anguished to learn of the loss of lives due to the blast in the firecracker factory in Batala. Rescue operations are underway with the DC & SSP heading the relief efforts.”
Deeply anguished to learn of the loss of lives due to the blast in the firecracker factory in Batala. Rescue operations are underway with the DC & SSP heading the relief efforts.
— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) September 4, 2019
Gurdaspur MP and actor Sunny Deol too tweeted expressing his grief over the tragedy. He wrote, “Saddened to hear about the news of blast in Batala factory. NDRF teams and local administration have been rushed for rescue operation,” Mr Deol said in his tweet.”
Saddened to hear about the news of blast in Batala factory.NDRF teams and local administration has been rushed for rescue operation.
— Sunny Deol (@iamsunnydeol) September 4, 2019
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted, “Deeply saddened at the loss of lives in a cracker factory blast in Gurdaspur. I offer my condolences to the bereaved families & pray for a speedy recovery for those injured in this accident.”
Anguished by the incident at #gurdaspur
My condolences to the bereaved families!
Hoping for speedy recovery of the injured.#Gurdaspur #Batala #PunjabFire pic.twitter.com/AuNCLSaWfG— Amar Chouhan (@AMARONLY4INC) September 4, 2019
The firecracker factory, according to eyewitnesses, was located in a residential area. Local residents say they had complained about the factory’s existence in a residential area but their complaints had fallen on deaf ears. They say that the sound of the explosion could be heard from a distance of a kilometer.