New Delhi: At least 21 workers, including 7 children, have died in a blast that caused a massive blaze at a firecracker warehouse in the outskirts of Deesa town in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district on Tuesday. Six more people were injured in the incident.

The blast happened around 9:30 AM at a warehouse owned by Deepak Traders, The Indian Express reported. The accused warehouse owners, Khubchand Renumal Mohanani and his son Deepak Khubchand Mohanani, were detained for questioning by the local crime branch within hours of the incident.

The Banaskantha police registered an FIR on Tuesday and booked the two accused on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, the report added.

“Warehouse owner Khubchand Renumal Mohanani and his son Deepak Khubchand Mohanani have been booked under BNS Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 125(a)(b) (act endangering life or safety of others), 326(g) (mischief by fire or explosive substance), and 45 (abetment). They have also been booked under the provisions of The Explosives Act, 1884 and The Explosive Substances Act, 1908,” the FIR stated, according to Express. 

“The two accused persons did not install fire safety equipment in their godown, illegally stockpiled large amounts of explosive firecrackers and in spite of knowing that a large number of casualties could take place, did not provide fire safety to the workers in the godown,” it added.

Most of the workers were from Madhya Pradesh.

Condoling the deaths, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav wrote on X, “The sad news of untimely death and serious injuries to workers of Madhya Pradesh due to the explosion in a firecracker factory in Banaskantha, Gujarat is extremely heartbreaking. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families.”

“The state government is committed to provide all possible help to the injured workers and the families of the deceased. Constant contact is being maintained with the Gujarat government regarding the accident. I pray to Baba Mahakal for peace to the departed souls, strength to the bereaved families to bear this immense sorrow and speedy recovery to the injured.

The state government has announced Rs 4 lakh as ex gratia for the next of kin of each deceased. Meanwhile, the Union government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF for the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

“Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the explosion at a firecracker factory in Banaskantha, Gujarat. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected,” the Prime Minister’s Office posted on X.

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