At least seven people, including a child, were killed and several others injured in a massive fire that broke out at the godown of an allegedly illegal cracker factory in the Khoh Nagauriya area on the outskirts of Jaipur on Tuesday.
According to police and fire brigade sources, a man identified as Feroze from New Delhi, in association with Wasim, was allegedly operating an illegal cracker manufacturing unit and godown in Aayesha Nagar Talai Colony. The fire reportedly broke out around 11:15 a.m. in the section where crackers produced at the nearby factory were being stored.
Around 20 labourers were working at the factory when the incident occurred. While some workers were rescued by local residents and teams from the police and Civil Defence, others managed to escape on their own.
Local residents also helped save the lives of a couple of severely burnt victims by pulling them out of the premises and rushing them to hospital.
The injured were initially taken to nearby hospitals, while those in critical condition were referred to the SMS Hospital in Jaipur.
The Principal and Controller of SMS Medical College Hospital, Jaipur, Dr. Deepak Maheshwari, said that seven people, including a child, had lost their lives in the incident. Five of the deceased have been identified so far, he added.
According to eyewitnesses, local residents also safely removed a gas cylinder from the burning premises, preventing the situation from escalating further.
Senior district administration and police officials, including Jaipur District Collector Sandesh Nayak, rushed to the spot to supervise the rescue operation. A team of forensic experts also reached the site to conduct an investigation.
State Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar, who visited the hospital to review the situation, said, “Three persons have been brought here in serious condition, and 8 to 10 more injured persons are also expected to be shifted here from nearby hospitals.”
The minister said the cracker factory was being run illegally in a residential area.
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expressed grief over the deaths and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.