Three children were among those killed as authorities investigated an operation that allegedly continued after its manufacturing license was revoked.
AHMEDABAD, India — At least nine people, including three children, were killed when a powerful explosion and fire tore through an alleged illegal fireworks factory in western India, authorities and local news organizations reported.
The explosion occurred at about 3 p.m. Saturday in the Ramol area on the eastern outskirts of Ahmedabad, Gujarat’s largest city. Emergency crews found extensive damage at the makeshift facility and surrounding properties. Authorities detained the alleged owner and opened an investigation into how fireworks manufacturing continued without a valid license.
Reports placed the number of injured people between six and 15 as officials continued assessing the scene and treating survivors. Some early accounts reported lower death and injury totals that were later revised. Authorities had not released a complete list of the victims or a final casualty count as of Sunday.
Police identified the alleged operator as Mehul Dodiya and said he had been detained for questioning. Investigators also named business associate Sadiq Saiyed and Dodiya’s mother, Ramilaben Dodiya, as suspects connected with the operation, according to People. Publicly available reports did not indicate that formal charges had been filed.
The allegations against those under investigation have not been proven in court. Authorities said they were preparing a case under India’s explosives laws and other applicable statutes while examining licensing records, the materials stored at the site and possible safety violations.
The facility had previously received permission related to fireworks activity, but its license was later canceled, according to published reports. Investigators allege that fireworks continued to be manufactured in an open or makeshift workspace despite the loss of authorization. Officials had not explained how long the alleged illegal operation had continued.
The force of the explosion damaged nearby homes, agricultural land and other structures. Reports differed on how far the effects were felt, with some witnesses and news organizations saying the blast could be heard or felt several kilometers away. Local accounts said windows shattered and debris was scattered around the area.
Police officers, firefighters and other emergency personnel searched the damaged site for victims while crews worked to control the fire. Several injured people were transported to hospitals, including patients reported to have suffered serious burns. Officials had not released detailed updates on their conditions.
Three children were among the dead, according to local authorities cited by The New Indian Express and The Times of India. The victims’ ages and their relationships to the factory operators had not been fully disclosed. It also remained unclear how many of those killed were workers, relatives or other people present nearby.
Investigators had not announced a confirmed cause of the initial explosion. Fireworks production commonly involves highly combustible materials, but authorities had not publicly identified the substance that ignited or said whether equipment failure, unsafe storage or another factor triggered the blast.
Ahmedabad Mayor Pratibha Jain visited the area and said action would be taken against those responsible. Local officials also faced questions about how an operation involving explosive materials allegedly remained active after its license was revoked.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences and announced payments of 200,000 rupees to the families of each person killed and 50,000 rupees to each injured person through the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel separately announced 400,000 rupees for each bereaved family and 50,000 rupees for each injured person.
Authorities continued searching the wreckage, interviewing witnesses and reviewing permits Sunday. The final death toll, the conditions of the injured and the precise cause of the explosion remained under investigation.