Fire breaks out in cracker manufacturing unit, one killed

A 45-year-old woman was killed and her son seriously injured when a major fire broke out in a cracker manufacturing factory near railway crossing on Batala-Gurdaspur national highway here this evening.
Shanti and her son Roshi (25) were working in the factory when the fire broke out, according to police.
The impact of the explosion was so powerful that Roshi was thrown on the mid of the road, while the window panes of the near by houses were also shattered, they said.
The cause of fire was yet to be ascertained, police said, adding fire engines were rushed to the factory to prevent the blaze from spreading in the area.

The fire brigade employees recovered Shanti's body from the debris and injured Roshi was taken to Civil Hospital Batala.
The condition of Roshi was critical as he had suffered more than 80 per cent burn injuries, Senior Medical officer, Civil hospital, Dr Sukhdeep Singh said.

Roshi has been referred to Amritsar for further treatment.
At the time the fire broke out, Shanti and Roshi were in the unit while their three workers had left the factory after competing work, police said.
About six years back, Shanti's husband Kuldeep and three employees suffered serious burn injuries and two others were killed in a fire incident in the same unit.