Firecracker explosion in house kills six in UP

The owner of a firecracker factory along with five others died in an explosion after a stash of crackers stored in her house caught fire on Saturday morning here, officials said.

The blast occurred at 35-year-old Munni Devi's house in Takia locality under Mirhachi Police Station area, police said, adding that she was the co-owner of the factory along with one Giriraj who lives in the same neighbourhood.

Devi along with Anjali (8), Radha (12), Khushi (6), Sheetal (18) and Rajni (14) perished in the explosion, District Magistrate Sukhlal Bharti said.

Around eight persons including Devi's daughters-- Pooja and Madhuri sustained injuries and were referred to Saifai for treatment, he added.

"Firecracker licensee Munni Devi had kept some stock of firecrackers at her home and while cooking a spark may have ignited the firecrackers leading to the explosion," Bharti said.

Asked if the firecracker manufacturing factory was illegal, the DM said, "It was not illegal and they (Devi and Giriraj) were old licensees. There must have been some laxity which resulted in this explosion."