Gujarat warehouse explosion: ‘Water break saved me but killed my brother in India’

Gujarat warehouse explosion: ‘Water break saved me but killed my brother in India’
Tejas Vaidya

Gujarati on BBC

Gujarati on BBC Rajesh Nayak says his brother was among the 21 people who were killedGujarati on BBC

Rajesh Nayak, a worker for the firework warehouse in Gujarat state, stepped outside the building’s water tank on Tuesday morning.

21 people were killed when an blast ripped through the tower, including Mr. Nayak’s brother, just a few moments later.

” Some of my other friends have even passed away. Nayak, who is in a hospital with minor injuries, said,” I had just come around from Sunday.

Most of the victims were from the nearby state of Madhya Pradesh and had just begun their employment at the storehouse, which was situated in a commercial complex in Gujarat’s Banaskantha region.

Their families lived in huts close to the building and some of them were also killed from the force of the explosion. Banaskantha District Collector Mihir Patel told Gujarati on BBC that the victims included four women and three children.

Although it’s not yet known what caused the explosion, authorities are looking into whether fireworks were being produced improperly at the storehouse.

According to Mr. Patel, the collection,” Major information has been received that the explosion occurred while firecrackers were being made below.”

Although India has tight regulations for fireball production, they frequently lack effective enforcement on the ground. Mishaps are frequently reported, particularly at improper factories.

Eight people were killed in an blast at an improper firework factory in West Bengal state the day before the Gujarat event.

In connection with the blast, Gujarat police have detained two men who are the inventory owners, and are looking for another person. A unique research group has been established to investigate the incident.

A preliminary investigation revealed that metal powder was kept in the tower, according to Banaskantha city police chief Akshay Raj Makwana.

” This powder is readily available in the market and non-explosive but volatile.” We are looking into the supply network and how the accused sourced the material, according to Mr. Makwana.

The building’s permit expired in December, but Mr. Patel claimed it had been registered as a firecracker storage facility. He claimed that the tower was clear when a crew went to check the area in March.

Gujarati on BBC The site of the explosion which killed at least 21 in Gujarat state. Debris of a house seen, with rescue workers around it.Gujarati on BBC

When Gujarati on BBC reached the area on Tuesday, the air smelt strongly of sulphur.

The blast left a large amount of damage, including the destruction of the factory’s walls and the warehouse. Larger concrete slabs were thrown 300 feet apart.

A block in the building, according to Mr. Makwana, the police captain, fell, trapping staff underneath.

The strong blast also severely damaged nearby houses and killed some of the staff ‘ family members.

A sanitation worker told Gujarati on BBC that he carried out four bodies on stretchers from the site. “My heart sank when I saw a child’s body,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is from Gujarat, has offered financial support to the patients ‘ people and expressed his sympathies.

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