Firecracker blast in Sultanpur injures 12

Lucknow: A powerful explosion early Wednesday morning at a house in Miyaganj market in Sultanpur , barely 500 meters from Kotwali police station, left at least 12 people injured, police said.

The blast occurred around 6:40 am inside the residence of one Nazir.

According to eyewitnesses, residents woke up by a loud explosion. On rushing out, they found Nazir's house partially destroyed, with its roof blown off and smaller secondary blasts continuing inside. Residents immediately alerted authorities, and four ambulances reached the spot to rush the injured to the CHC, Jay Singhpur, where they are undergoing treatment.

Nazir's son Yaseen said the injured include his father Nazir (65), mother Jamatul Nisha (62), brothers Noor Mohammad (25) and Suhail (17), sisters Sada (12), Khushi (15), and Sahana (20), as well as neighbours Faizan (8) and Kaif (22) from the adjoining house of Abdul Hameed, which also suffered severe structural damage due to the impact. Police said preliminary investigations suggest the blast occurred due to illegal and extra storage of explosive materials used in fireworks manufacturing. Sources said Nazir was earlier engaged in making firecrackers for weddings and local functions, but his licence was cancelled several years ago. The area has been cordoned off, and a forensic team along with the bomb disposal squad has been called in to collect samples. Senior police and administrative officials have also inspected the spot. Authorities are investigating whether any fresh stock of explosive material was illegally kept inside the house. Residents demanded stricter monitoring of firecracker units and warehouses operating in residential areas to prevent such incidents in the future.

IG Faizabad Range, Praveen Kumar, told TOI that the family had a legal licence for manufacturing firecrackers, but they breached the conditions of manufacturing, which possibly caused the blast, so an FIR is being registered. "All the injured are out of danger," said the IG.