Amaravati:- A blast took place in a firecracker manufacturing unit in Vettalapalem village of Kakinada district of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday. The blast killed 18 people and seriously injured six others. More than 20 employees were working in the unit at the time of the blast.
Locals said the blast took place around 2 pm. The blast was so powerful that its sound was heard 5 km away. After this, villagers reached the spot and started taking the injured to the hospital. The police officer said the blast was so powerful that the bodies fell in the nearby paddy fields. A horrific scene unfolded amidst the lush green paddy fields as the locals carried the bodies in barakalu, or sheets made from manure bags.
Police have deployed drones to search for body parts scattered in nearby fields. The superintendent of the Kakinada government hospital said that the injured who reached the hospital have suffered 90 to 100 percent burns. They are undergoing treatment.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has expressed deep grief over the accident. He said in a post on social media that he is deeply saddened by the loss of many precious lives in this accident. The Chief Minister has directed the officials to immediately help the victims and has asked senior officials and ministers to visit the incident site.