Kaushambi (UP), Aug. 31 -- Eleven people were killed and five others seriously injured after a powerful explosion at a firecracker factory in Manori village of Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi district on Monday afternoon, officials said. The injured are undergoing treatment at SRN Hospital in Prayagraj.

District Magistrate Amit Pal said 11 people initially injured in the blast were taken to the hospital, where they later died during treatment. The deceased were identified as Priyanjali, 5, Praveen Singh, 13, Jahanvi, 12, Aditya, 12, Aditya, 8, Ravi, 8, Anju, 32, Gyan Singh, 40, Vikram Saroj, 35, Ansh, 6, and Nana, 4.

Officials said all those killed lived near the factory. More than 18 people are suspected to have been injured in the explosion, raising concerns that the death toll could increase.

The blast, near the Manori power house, destroyed the factory and damaged surrounding structures. Five to six houses next to the facility also collapsed. Rescue teams were using excavators and 10 bulldozers to clear the debris as police searched for people who may still be trapped.

The explosion also damaged a high-voltage electricity pole and power lines. Electricity department workers were repairing the network to restore supply.

The blast affected rail traffic on the nearby Delhi-Howrah route, which was suspended for about an hour. The Ajmer-Sealdah Express was sent back to Manori station, while the Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express was halted at Saiyad Sarawan station.

More than a dozen fire tenders, around two dozen ambulances and over 50 Air Force personnel joined NDRF, SDRF, police and fire brigade teams at the site. The blaze was brought under control before rescue work began.

District Magistrate Pal, Superintendent of Police Satyanarayan Prajapat and Prayagraj Range Inspector General Ajay Mishra visited the site. Manori Air Force Station is about two kilometres away.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath condoled the deaths and announced Rs 2 lakh for each deceased person's family and Rs 50,000 for each injured person. He directed officials to ensure medical care and assistance for affected families.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.