At least five people were killed and nine others injured after a powerful explosion tore through an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in Ahmedabad’s Vastral area on Saturday, sparking a major fire and triggering an extensive rescue operation.
The explosion occurred at the factory on Ramol-Gatrad Road, behind the Rapid Action Force (RAF) camp. The blast was heard up to five kilometres away and caused severe damage to the building, leaving several workers trapped beneath the debris.
Personnel from the nearby RAF camp were among the first to respond, rushing to the site and rescuing those trapped before fire brigade teams arrived. More than five fire engines were deployed to tackle the blaze, which was later brought under control. Cooling operations continued to prevent any fresh flare-ups.
The injured were taken to nearby medical facilities, including L.G. Hospital and Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Officials said several victims had suffered burn injuries and trauma, while search teams continued combing through the wreckage.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Sector-2) Jaipal Singh Rathore told IANS, “Five people are dead. Eight to nine injured have all been rushed to hospital. The fire has been brought under control. It is not a big establishment.”
Authorities warned that the death toll could rise as rescue operations continued into the evening and efforts to locate anyone still trapped remained underway.
Senior civic and police officials, including Ahmedabad Mayor Hitesh Barot, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation officers, Zone-8 Deputy Commissioner of Police Mayur Patil and JCP Rathore, visited the site to oversee the rescue and relief work.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the firecracker unit was operating illegally. According to reports, investigators identified the operator as Mehul Dodiya and said the factory’s licence had been cancelled earlier, but manufacturing activities were allegedly continuing despite the cancellation.
Police have launched an investigation into both the cause of the explosion and the alleged illegal operation of the factory. The identities of several victims were still being verified late on Saturday as rescue teams continued their search of the damaged premises.