Andhra fireworks factory blast death toll rises to 8

THe dying toll in the devastating detonation at a banger manufacturing building block at Rayavaram in Andhra Pradesh’s Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema dominion on Wednesday mounted to eight, even as the state government on Thursday constituted a two-member official committee to investigate the causes of the explosion.State chief secretary K Vijayanand issued an order constituting a committee comprising S Suresh Kumar, principal secretary, municipal administration and urban development department and Ake Ravi Krishna, inspector general of police, Elite Anti-Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement (EAGLE).According to the government order, the committee would find out the causes which resulted in the explosion in the firecracker manufacturing unit at Rayavaram and identify the persons responsible for the incident.The committee would also make recommendations to avoid any such incidents with proper standard operating procedures (SOPs) and submit a report to the government within a week.The chief secretary ordered that Dr B R Ambedkar Konaseema district collector and superintendent of police provide all the required assistance to the inquiry committee and also appoint a nodal officer for coordination with the committee members.The incident happened at around 12.30 pm at Lakshmi Ganapathi Fire Works factory at V Savaram village of Rayavaram block, when the workers were engaged in the manufacture of firecrackers for the upcoming Diwali festival.District superintendent of police Rahul Meena told reporters that at least six people died on the spot and their bodies were charred completely beyond recognition, while two others who suffered grievous injuries were shifted to a hospital in Rajamahendravaram.One of them succumbed late on Wednesday night, and another person died on Thursday morning while undergoing treatment.The deceased were identified as factory owner Veligubantla Satyanarayana Murthy, also known as Sattibabu (65) of Komaripaleni in Bikkavolu mandal, Chitturi Shyamala (38), Kudipudi Jyoti (38), Penke Sesharatnam (40), K Sadananda (48), and Paka Aruna (35) and Potnuri Venkataramana (56). The body of one more victim is yet to be identified.A police official familiar with the development said preliminary investigation indicated that the accident took place while explosives were being filled into firecrackers using a mechanical device inside the manufacturing section.“We are suspecting that sparks from the machine might have ignited nearby fireworks and raw materials, leading to a chain of explosions. There is also a suspicion of a short-circuit, which could have intensified the fire,” he said.Though the factory management claimed to have followed fire safety norms, authorities suspect production beyond the permitted limits and the employment of unskilled workers in hazardous tasks.The explosion was so powerful that the roofs of nearby sheds collapsed and windows shattered, spreading panic in the surrounding areas.Firefighters from Amalapuram and Kothapeta rushed to the spot and battled the flames for several hours before bringing them under control. A case has been registered, the official added.