Harda: Tuesday morning saw a series of blasts in a firecracker factory in Bairagarh village in Harda district, Madhya Pradesh. There were 150 workers in the factory when the first explosion took place, as reported by a worker who managed a quick escape. It was so massive that it jolted the area as an earthquake. Shops, buildings, houses, and institutes adjacent to the spot and as far as thirteen kilometers away experienced the effect like an unprecedented disaster. As per the latest updates, nearly a hundred are injured and 11 have lost their lives in this incident. A few have lost their body parts too. The real figure of the destruction can be expected only after the operation ends.
मध्य प्रदेश के हरदा जिले में पटाखा फैक्ट्री #Blast
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70 मजदूर घायल बताये जा रहे हैं।#MadhyaPradesh #Harda pic.twitter.com/F5N7TbkCAp
---Advertisement---— Indrbali Yadav रीवा वाले (@indrbali) February 6, 2024
Glasses broke, buildings shook
As the first explosion took place, not only the workers remained affected but also people residing in the nearby areas had to flee from their respective places. The firecracker blast was extremely intense and caused a series of explosions one after one in the span of two hours. The glass windows of the nearby shops started cracking and falling. The view was nothing less than a terrifying horror movie.
Houses burnt and evacuated
Rings of fire floated in the air and dropped into the surrounding area causing huge destruction. Not one or two but 60 houses are burnt mounting to a big loss. Considering the intensity, as the fire continued, 100 houses were immediately evacuated.
Also read: Jolted Like Earthquake: Blast In Firecracker Factory In Harda Injured 70, Dozens Trapped
ITI jolted, students witnessed havoc
The government ITI which wasn’t very close to the factory also suffered the jolt as seen in the video. At the time when the institute was active and classes were running, the young learners were left with anxiety and had to run away. Chaos prevailed in the institute.
The impact of the intense blast in the firecracker factory was felt in the adjacent ITI. Chaos and restlessness prevailed as the institute felt the jolt. #Harda pic.twitter.com/CTpgCCL09y
— News24 English (@News24eng) February 6, 2024
Fire brigades to the Indian army
🚨Tragedy strikes as an illegal firecracker factory in Harda, Madhya Pradesh, India, erupts in a massive explosion, claiming the lives of at least 11 people and leaving many injured. Our thoughts are with the affected families. #HardaExplosion #India pic.twitter.com/nM0aRbHLRX
— Iyarkai (@iyarkai_earth) February 6, 2024
The scale of the destruction couldn’t be mapped initially. The fire brigades from five stations reached the spot only to find it extremely difficult to control the disaster as the explosions continued at small intervals. State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) started search and rescue operations but as the death toll rose and the number of injured peaked to nearly 100, the Indian army was contacted to seek help who will be now helping in evacuation via helicopters.
#WATCH | Madhya Pradesh minister Uday Pratap Singh visits District Hospital in Harda, Madhya Pradesh to meet the patients injured in a massive explosion that took place in a firecracker factory, earlier today. pic.twitter.com/NUKLjr9R3E
— ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2024
Ex-gratia of 4 lakhs
Transport minister Uday Pratap Singh inspected the explosion on a helicopter and then reached the hospital to see the injured workers. CM Mohan Yadav has announced an ex-gratia of four lakhs to the kin of the deceased.
