Amroha (Uttar Pradesh), June 16, 2025 — A devastating explosion ripped through a firecracker factory situated in a forested area near Atrasi village on Monday morning, killing four women and injuring at least twelve others, as confirmed by local officials.
The blast occurred at approximately 11:40 AM in two tin-shed structures operating within a field around two kilometers from nearby homes. Witnesses reported that debris was hurled up to 300 metres, sparking panic across surrounding villages.
District Magistrate Nidhi Gupta Vats and Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar Anand led inspections at the site. While the unit held a valid licence under its owner, Saifur Rahman of Hapur district, investigators noted it failed to follow mandatory safety regulations . The factory employed around 25 daily-wage workers, predominantly women.
The deceased have been identified as Ruksana (20) and Shahnaz (48) from Rajabpur village, and Ruma (36) and Pravesh alias Sarvesh (42) from Papsara village. Among the injured are Saloni (20), Indravati (35), Mona (21), Vishal Kumar (18), Puja Kumari (27), Sonia (38), Puja (32), Nazreen (25), and Puja Rani (29), some of whom have been transferred to Delhi for critical care.
Rescue operations were swiftly launched by police and fire brigade teams, who removed victims from under collapsed rubble and extinguished ensuing fires. The injured were transported to Amroha District Hospital, with two critically wounded women flown to a Delhi-based facility.
A multi-agency probe has been ordered to determine the cause of the explosion and scrutiny of the unit’s legal compliance. Authorities aim to enforce accountability and address “serious lapses” in operational protocols.
This incident comes amid repeated industrial accidents involving illegal or unsafe firecracker production in India, including a similar factory explosion in Gujarat on April 1 that killed 21 people .
