Dewas (Madhya Pradesh): A devastating explosion and subsequent fire at a firecracker manufacturing unit in the Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh claimed the lives of at least two workers and left 15 others injured on Thursday. The incident took place in the Tonk Kalan area, where the force of the blast was so severe that local residents reported seeing body parts scattered a significant distance from the factory site. Emergency services rushed to the scene to extinguish the blaze and provide medical assistance to the survivors.
Dewas Collector Rituraj Singh confirmed the fatalities and stated that nine of the 15 injured individuals have been referred to a hospital in Indore for specialized treatment due to the severity of their wounds. While the fire has since been brought under control, the local administration has moved to take possession of explosives stored in a separate location within the unit to prevent further accidents. The factory, which was operating under a licence issued to an individual named Anil Malviya, had reportedly only begun manufacturing small firecrackers 15 days prior to the tragedy.
Witnesses at the scene noted that construction work was still ongoing at the premises, with several sheds still being built at the time of the explosion. The suddenness and intensity of the blast have sent shockwaves through the local community, raising concerns about safety protocols at the newly established facility. Authorities have launched a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause of the ignition and whether all safety regulations were strictly followed during the initial weeks of operation.
The state government is expected to monitor the recovery of the injured workers closely while investigators sift through the debris for clues. For now, the site remains cordoned off as forensic teams and administrative officials continue their assessment of the damage and the sequence of events that led to the fatal incident.
