Hapur: Gunpowder used at factory suspected behind blast that claimed 13 lives, FIR registered

Gunpowder used to manufacture toy gun pallets is suspected to be the reason behind the blast at the chemical factory in Uttar Pradesh's Hapur that claimed 13 lives, claimed a victim of the incident.

Speaking to ANI, the Superintendent of Police, Hapur said that the police got the information about a boiler blast. "On reaching the spot, there was no boiler burst, but some kind of blast."

Although the reason for the blast will be ascertained after the reports of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) investigation, the SP said that the police have recovered plastic pallets used in toy guns from the spot.

"We will only get to know about the kind of material that had exploded after the FSL report. We have recovered plastic pallets from the spot. These pallets are used in toy guns with firecrackers on Diwali. These pallets were being made inside the factory," he said.

Further, the SP said that the material being filled in those pallets will be clear only after the FSL report are out.

The preliminary investigation has revealed that there were 33 people working at the factory at the time of the incident, of which 13 were killed and the other 20 sustained injuries.

Uttar Pradesh Police has registered an FIR under sections 286 (Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), 287 (Negligent conduct with respect to machinery), 304 (culpable homicide), 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide), 337 (negligence endangering human life), and 338 (grievous hurt by an act which endangers human life) of the Indian Penal Code.

A victim of the blast alleged that the factory used gunpowder to fill bullet-like plastic shells. "The gunpowder suddenly exploded. No one understood how the blast happened," she said.

Further, speaking to ANI, the victim's sister said that there were nine other people in her family along with the victim in the factory at the time of the blast, of which, two were killed.

The victim's sister, who had also worked at the factory for a day, alleged that the factory used gunpowder and had no fans.

"Due to the high heat, the gunpowder might have exploded," she said. She also informed that the workers at the factory were kept at a wage of Rs 8,000-9,000.

Hapur District Magistrate (DM) Medha Roopam said, "Permission was there for manufacturing electronics goods but has to be probed what really was happening. A committee will be formed. Forensic team finding out what chemical has been retrieved (in the explosion at the manufacturing factory."

(ANI)

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