Chandigarh: At least 18 people were killed and many injured in a blast at an unauthorized firecracker factory in a residential in Batala town of Punjab’s Gurdaspur district on Wednesday, an official said.
Several fire tenders at the spot carrying out rescue work and were trying hard to bring the situation under the control. Ten nearby buildings were also damaged in the explosion. The cause of the blast is still unknown.
Sources said that several others have been injured in the blast while few others are still believed to be trapped inside the rubble. “Such was the intensity of the blast that it damaged several houses located near the factory,” sources added.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh took to Twitter and expressed his grief, writing, “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.”
Gurdaspur MP and actor Sunny Deol also took to social media and condoled the tragedy as he wrote, “Saddened to hear about the news of blast in Batala factory.NDRF teams and local administration has been rushed for rescue operation.”