8 killed in explosion at cracker factory in Andhra Pradesh. PM condoles deaths, announces ex-gratia

At least eight people, including two women, were killed and seven others injured in an explosion that led to a fire at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday (April 13). The fireworks plant is in the Kailasa town of Kotavutla mandal in the Anakapalli district.

The accident occurred at around 12:45 pm, and locals are also assisting the officials in recovering the bodies and shifting the injured to hospitals, a police official said.

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Sources said that six people died on the spot while two others critically injured succumbed at the hospital.
Most of the dead and injured are from Samarlakota in the joint East Godavari district. As per local inputs, the factory, which is famous for making rocket firecrackers, had employed a large number of workers considering the heavy order rush due to the wedding season.

The explosion was so massive that it caused the walls of the manufacturing plant to crash. The injured were rushed to Narsipatnam Hospital while police and other officials reached the spot and started rescue operations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in a factory mishap and announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs. 50,000 to the injured.

Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in a factory mishap in Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected.

An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would…

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock over the incident and directed Home Minister V Anitha and district officials to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured. He said all the injured were shifted to the hospital and are being treated.

“Eight people, including two women, died, and several others were injured in the fire accident,” Home Minister V Anitha said.
The Home Minister also spoke to the Collector and SP about the accident.

Speaker Ayyannapatrudu expressed deep shock over the fire incident. He expressed deep sympathy to the families of the people who died in the accident and directed the staff of the Narsipatnam Area Hospital to make beds, ventilators and staff available for the care of the injured.

Explosions at firecracker manufacturing and storage units are reported frequently in India. The incidents highlight the extent of India’s informal firecracker industry, as well as the lack of proper enforcement of regulations to eliminate illegal production.

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The working of firecracker factories in India is governed by the Explosives Act, 1884, and the Explosive Rules, 2008, which mandate licences, safety audits, and storage limits. Under the rules, all factories must maintain fire-safety equipment, ensure proper ventilation, and train workers in handling hazardous materials, but the enforcement is largely lacking, especially in the unorganised sector, where illegal units thrive.

Recently, on Friday (April 11), two people were killed and two children were injured after an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit collapsed in the Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh, officials said.
Earlier, on April 1, a massive blast in an illegal firecracker warehouse in Deesa town of Banaskantha district of Gujarat state had resulted in the deaths of 21 people, including five children and five women.
The explosion was so powerful that the building’s reinforced cement concrete (RCC) slab roof collapsed, crushing workers and a few families.

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In 2012, an explosion at the Om Sakthi Fireworks Industries factory in Sivakasi, a hub of cracker industry, killed 40 people, while more than 70 were injured. The fireworks factory in which the tragedy occurred did not have a valid licence.

Sivakasi town in Virudhunagar District of Tamil Nadu is known for its firecracker, matchbox, and printing industries, which employ over 250,000 people and have an estimated turnover of $230 million.

In 2023, an explosion in a firecracker factory at a village in Barasat, West Bengal, killed 9 people and left 12 injured.