Rajasthan factory blaze: 8 burnt alive in blast at illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in Bhiwadi

ALWAR: At least eight workers were burnt alive in a massive fire at an illegal firecracker factory in Bhiwadi industrial area in Rajasthan's Alwar district on Monday.Two more workers are still feared trapped inside the factory. At the time of the incident, around 25 workers were present at the site.As soon as information about the fire spread, workers and employees from nearby factories rushed out for safety.The factory had been rented out by the owner, where the tenant was allegedly manufacturing firecrackers illegally. A large stock of gunpowder and cardboard stored inside the factory caught fire following a massive explosion, causing the blaze to intensify rapidly.As a precautionary measure, nearby factories were evacuated, and electricity supply was temporarily cut off to prevent a bigger disaster. After hours of strenuous effort, fire brigade teams managed to bring the fire largely under control, although cooling operations continued for a long time.Eyewitnesses said that three to four loud explosions were heard during the fire, triggering panic among residents and workers.Additional district magistrate (ADM) Bhiwadi, Sumitra Mishra, said that a police patrol vehicle spotted the factory on fire. Following this, police and administrative teams immediately called half a dozen fire tenders to the spot. With the help of firefighters, the blaze was brought under control. So far, seven bodies have been recovered from the factory. The workers were residents of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. There is still a possibility that two more people are trapped, and a search operation is ongoing.Fire station in-charge Raju Khan said that the factory, located at Plot No. G-1, 118 in the industrial area, had been lying closed for several months. A large quantity of cardboard stock was stored inside the premises. On Monday morning around 10am, smoke was seen rising from inside the factory, and within a short time, the fire took a devastating form. Senior officials of the Bhiwadi police were also present at the site.