A massive explosion in an illegally operated firecracker warehouse in Deesa, Gujarat’s Banaskantha district, resulted in the deaths of over 20 people, 18 of whom were from Madhya Pradesh. Seven children were among the dead, according to the numbers available before this article went live. One injured worker, who sustained 60-70 percent burns, was transferred to Ahmedabad for further treatment, while two others are recovering at Palanpur Civil Hospital.
The victims, mostly from two families in Sandalpur village in Khategaon tehsil, about 120 km from Indore, have been identified. Nine victims were from one family, while six others were from a different family.
The explosion destroyed the warehouse, trapping the victims under debris with no escape route. Those who survived suffered severe burns.
Banaskantha collector Mihir Patel told media outlets that the severe explosion resulted in bodies scattering across a farm 200-300 meters from the site. The families of the victims, who had arrived in Deesa just two days before to work in the warehouse, lived on the same premises.
The warehouse was allegedly operated by Khubchand Renumal Mohanani and his son Deepak Khubchand Mohanani, both residents of Deesa. The Deesa police have detained Deepak and two other workers associated with the warehouse.
SP Akshayraj Makwana confirmed that charges under Section 105 of the BNS Act (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) have been filed against them. He added that a watertight chargesheet will be prepared to ensure the maximum punishment for those responsible.
The FIR, published by the media, reads: “Warehouse owner Khubchand Renumal Mohanani and his son Deepak Khubchand Mohanani have been booked under BNS Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 125(a)(b) (act endangering life or safety of others), 326(g) (mischief by fire or explosive substance), and 45 (abetment). They have also been booked under the provisions of The Explosives Act, 1884 and The Explosive Substances Act, 1908.”
It adds, “The two accused persons did not install fire safety equipment in their godown, illegally stockpiled large amounts of explosive firecrackers and in spite of knowing that a large number of casualties could take place, did not provide fire safety to the workers in the godown…”
Gujarat’s health minister, Rushikesh Patel, revealed that an inspection by a team from the SP’s office on March 12 found no explosives at the warehouse. “After the inspection, the owner secretly stored firecrackers and began manufacturing them, leading to the explosion and multiple deaths. The factory lacked even basic safety facilities, which is why its warehousing licence was not renewed. Both the district administration & Banaskantha police gave negative opinions on the renewal application,” Patel was quoted as saying.
Patel added that the warehouse lacked basic safety measures, which led to its warehousing license not being renewed. Both the district administration and Banaskantha police had vehemently protested the renewal since the warehouse lacked safety regulations.
Meanwhile, the Centre announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh from the PM National Relief Fund for each deceased’s family and Rs 50,000 for the injured. “Deeply saddened by loss of lives in explosion at a firecracker factory in Banaskantha, Gujarat. Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased.
The explosion is a stark reminder of Gujarat’s industrial safety issues. Gujarat’s state labour and employment department reveals that between 2018 and 2022, 992 workers died in manufacturing accidents. Vibes of India has learned that the districts of Surat, Ahmedabad, and Valsad had the greatest death tolls: 155, 126 and 92 respectively.
Gujarat has willfully ignored alarm bells. Even in the past, there were insufficient factory inspections leading to explosions in warehouses. That factory owners use undue influence to evade adhering to safety regulations is common knowledge. Many of these factories openly disregard safety regulations. VOI understands that more than 20,400 factories in Gujarat were producing hazardous waste as of 2021.
Numerous incidents, including a recent fire at a Narol factory, were caused by blatant indifference to workplace safety. Two died in the incident, while four were critically injured. Additionally, fatalities have been reported from similar episodes in Vadodara and Kutch.
Despite these alarming statistics, The Labour and Employment Department has failed to enforce safety rules effectively. Factory inspections are not conducted periodically. As a result, innocent workers continue to lose their lives in preventable accidents.
Meanwhile, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed, led by Deputy SP CL Solanki, to expeditiously investigate the Deesa warehouse explosion. Technical experts and teams from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) have also begun probing the exact cause of the explosion. More details are awaited.
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