Patna: Five people, including three from a family, were killed and three others injured after firecrackers caught fire, triggering a massive explosion in a house in Siwan district on Friday. The incident occurred in Alampur village under Jamo bazaar police station.Five bodies were recovered from the scene after the explosion around 5.30pm. Eight people were believed to be inside the house, while three escaped with minor burn injuries. The blast was so intense that debris from the front portion of the house fell onto the road.Taking note of the incident and alleged local negligence, Siwan SP Bharat Soni ordered the immediate suspension of Jamo bazaar SHO Dhiraj Kumar and local chowkidar Chandrika Manjhi.Firecrackers were stored at the house of Alampur resident Mohd Amiruddin Mian, who is said to be a firecracker trader. The fire spread to other firecrackers, triggering continuous explosions. Blast sounds were heard intermittently for about two hours.Panic gripped nearby areas as people were terrified by the explosions. Damage to the house and the severity of the blast also hampered relief and identification work.Senior officials, including Siwan district magistrate (DM) Vijay Prakash Meena and SP Bharat Soni, visited the scene. Teams from the medical, fire and electricity departments, along with the dog squad and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), were deployed to secure the area and collect evidence.Siwan DM Vijay Prakash Meena said information was being received about firecracker manufacturing in the house and the explosion occurred there. The deceased included Md Amiruddin and his two granddaughters, while the identities of the others were being verified.SP Bharat Soni said five deaths had been confirmed, while three other people had left for private hospitals after suffering minor injuries. The figure of eight was based on information from local residents, including village representatives, and authorities were awaiting confirmation from the medical team.“A special police team under the leadership of the SDPO Maharajganj, Aman Kumar, has been formed to thoroughly investigate all aspects of the case. An FIR has been registered, with CI (circle inspector) Maharajganj appointed as the investigating officer (IO),” Soni said.Soni said locals claimed the family had a licence for firecracker-related work and had been engaged in the trade for around 20 years. Police would verify the licence and other documents.“We will register an FIR and investigate where the firecrackers were sourced, whether the necessary licences were valid and whether the work was being carried out in accordance with the rules,” Soni said.He said officials had earlier been directed to verify licences and related arrangements in their areas. The probe would also examine any lapses in the verification process and fix responsibility.A team from the FSL collected samples and examined the circumstances surrounding the explosion.Maharajganj SDPO Aman Kumar said, “Md Amiruddin (65), his two granddaughters of 14 and eight years of age, a ten-yr-old neighbour boy and an unidentified person were found dead.”
