Patna: At least five people died and 20 others were seriously injured after a powerful explosion ignited deadly fire at an illegally-run firecracker factory in Bihar late on Thursday night.
The victims included three children and a woman.
The injured were admitted to locals hospital for treatment, with the condition of some said to be very critical.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar ordered a high-level investigation into the blast.
The cause of explosion was not yet known, officials said.
The incident took place at Khasganj village, which falls under Sohsarai police station, in Nalanda, the home district of Bihar chief minister.
Witnesses said villagers were preparing to go to sleep, while some had even gone to bed, when powerful explosions rocked the areas.
Before many knew what had happened, the explosion ignited devastating fires which soon engulfed the adjoining houses.
For some time, the blasts continued at intervals as the deadly fire had completely taken over the firecracker factory, while villagers fled their homes.
According to villagers, the blasts were so powerful that they even damaged some adjoining houses, eventually collapsing them and its sound was heard several kilometres away.
Many villagers were struck by the debris from the damaged homes, reports said.
Senior officials rushed to the spot and began investigations in to the matter.
The police meanwhile have registered a case against the factory owner, identified as Mohammad Sarfaraz.
He is accused of illegally running a factory in the densely-populated locality.
“The explosion took place at around midnight and we are investigating the case,” the local district superintendent of police Sudhir Kumar Porika told the media on Friday.
According to him, the explosions were so powerful that they damaged four nearby buildings.
Bihar chief minister Kumar expressed grief over the death of the five villagers in the incident and ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter.
“We have asked the divisional commissioner and the deputy inspector-general of police concerned to jointly investigate the case. Action will be taken after we get the probe report,” the chief minister said in a written statement to the media.
The chief minister also announced medical aid to those injured in the incident and financial assistance for those villagers whose houses were damaged in the blast.
Meanwhile, an eight-member team from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) visited the site on Frida as part of an investigation.
Forensic teams were collecting samples at the scene.
