Five migrant workers were killed and twenty-nine others sustained injuries when a powerful explosion tore through a firecracker factory in Singhewala village of Punjab’s Muktsar district in the early hours of Friday.
The incident occurred at approximately 1 a.m. in a two-storey manufacturing unit situated along the Singhewala–Kotli road, close to the Haryana border. The blast was of such intensity that it brought down the entire structure, trapping workers inside.
The factory, which employed several migrant labourers, was primarily engaged in the production and packaging of firecrackers. Police said the cause of the explosion was not immediately known.
“Initial information indicates that the blast occurred in the cracker manufacturing area for reasons yet to be determined. The building collapsed as a result, causing the casualties. Prima facie, it appears the deaths were due to structural damage rather than a fire,” said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Muktsar, Akhil Chaudhary.
Rescue and emergency teams, coordinated by the district administration, arrived swiftly on the scene and worked through the morning to remove the debris and search for survivors. Several workers were believed to be buried under the collapsed structure, prompting a race against time to locate them.
Lambi Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jaspal Singh confirmed that five bodies had been pulled from the rubble and that twenty-nine men had been injured. All the injured, he added, were migrant workers and had been rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, and hospitals in Muktsar.
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The condition of some of the wounded was reported to be critical, and doctors were closely monitoring their recovery.
The blast has once again raised concerns over the safety standards and licensing of such manufacturing units, particularly in rural belts where oversight is often lax.
While authorities have yet to issue a formal statement on whether the factory was operating with the requisite approvals, local sources said the unit had long been functional and had a history of minor incidents.
Punjab Chief Minister is expected to seek a report from district officials. An official probe has been initiated to ascertain the cause of the blast and whether any negligence led to the incident.
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal expressed grief over the incident, taking to social media to demand accountability and swift support for the victims’ families.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic explosion at a firecracker factory in Fatuhiwala village (Lambi), which claimed five lives and injured 25 people. I extend my deepest condolences to those grieving this immense loss and pray for the speedy and complete recovery of all those receiving treatment. I urge the state government to promptly release adequate compensation to the victims’ families. Additionally, I call upon the district administration to initiate a thorough inquiry to ascertain the cause of the blast and ensure such tragedies are prevented in the future through stringent safety measures,” he said in a post on X.
Local residents said they were jolted awake by a loud noise, followed by flames and screams for help. “It was terrifying. We had never heard such a deafening blast in our area,” said Ramesh Singh, a resident of Singhewala.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was not immediately deployed, but the administration stated it was prepared to call in reinforcements should the need arise.
More updates are awaited as investigations progress.
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