A massive explosion at a firecracker factory in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi district on Monday afternoon left around two dozen people injured, while about 15 others were feared trapped inside the premises, officials said.
The blast occurred in the Pipri police station area near the Manori power house, following which police, fire brigade and Air Force personnel stationed nearby, launched a joint rescue operation, they said.
Kaushambi District Magistrate Amit Pal said the fire brigade had brought the blaze under control and rescue operations were underway to evacuate those trapped inside the factory.
"Information was received about an explosion at a firecracker factory near Manori power house in the Pipri police station area. Police and fire brigade teams immediately reached the spot," Pal said.
Five of the injured, who were in serious condition, were rescued from the site and referred to SRN Hospital in Prayagraj for advanced treatment, he said.
The incident also damaged nearby structures, with five to six houses located adjacent to the factory collapsing in the impact of the explosion, officials said.
The Manori Air Force Station is located around two kilometres from the site, and teams of the Air Force, police and fire brigade from Kaushambi and Prayagraj were involved in the rescue operation, the district administration said.
The district magistrate said no death had been officially confirmed so far.
Further details, including the cause of the explosion, were awaited.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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