3 charred to death in cracker factory blast
Three persons were charred to death in a major fire that broke out in a cracker factory running in Ridhau village in Kharkhoda area of the district on Saturday.
The cracker factory was allegedly being run illegally for a long time in the middle of the residential area of the village. The fire brigade team reached the spot to control the flames after getting information. As many as seven persons sustained serious burn injuries and have been referred to the PGIMS, Rohtak, for further treatment.
Rajesh, a resident of the village, told The Tribune that the incident occurred at around 8.45am. The villagers were shocked after a huge blast occurred in the factory. Around 10 people were working in the factory at the time of the blast.
As the villagers ran towards the spot to help the injured, another blast occurred. Scared of a big untoward incident, the villagers came out of the factory, he said.
He added that the factory was in the middle of the residential area of the village. The incident was so huge that people from neighbouring villages heard it and reached the site.
As per the available information, Ved Prakash Bansal, a resident of the village, was running the factory in his house.
A villager on the condition of anonymity said that some people had raised objections over the cracker factory and the police also came here for inspection. But due to the owner’s political relations, no action had been initiated, the villager alleged.
ACP Jeet Singh along with a police team reached the spot to inquire about the incident. He said three completely burnt bodies had been recovered from the spot. Apart from it, seven persons sustained serious burn injuries, he said.
The factory owner has been rounded up, the ACP added. Some suspicious material has been recovered and the FSL team has been called to inspect the spot, he said.
As per the primary information, maximum labourers working in the factory were from outside the village, while one deceased woman was from the same village, ACP Jeet Singh said. Probe into the matter is underway, the ACP added.
