A powerful explosion at a firecracker factory in Deesa, Banaskantha district, claimed at least 18 lives, leaving five others injured in a tragic accident on Tuesday.

The suspected boiler blast triggered a massive fire, causing the roof to collapse, trapping workers inside. Rescue teams worked tirelessly for over seven hours to control the blaze and recover bodies from the debris.

The injured were rushed to government hospitals in Deesa and Palanpur, where they are receiving medical treatment. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and announced financial assistance, pledging INR 4 lakh for the families of the deceased and INR 50,000 for those injured.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the factory, operated by Deepak Traders, was running without official approval from the Banaskantha Police and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). According to Banaskantha SP Akshayraj Makwana, the facility was mainly used for firecracker storage and supplied products to five retail outlets. Despite applying for a licence renewal, authorities had rejected the request due to severe fire safety concerns. However, the factory continued operations without permission, resulting in this catastrophic incident.

P Seeniraj, Joint Chief Controller of Explosives for Vadodara Circle, confirmed that the firm had no valid licence to store firecrackers. Most of the deceased workers were from Madhya Pradesh, and the state’s Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav described the incident as heartbreaking, offering full support to the victims' families. He assured that the Madhya Pradesh government is closely coordinating with Gujarat authorities to assist the affected families.

Law enforcement agencies have launched a major crackdown, with five police teams assigned to investigate the tragedy. Officers have been deployed to Rajasthan, Ahmedabad, and Sabarkantha to apprehend those responsible.

Firefighters from Deesa, Palanpur, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) battled the flames for hours. Dixit Patel, the Regional Fire Officer (RFO) of Gandhinagar Region, is assessing the aftermath and may call for additional resources if necessary. However, an official statement from his office is still awaited.

Authorities continue their search-and-rescue efforts, vowing to take strict action against those responsible for operating the illegal facility. Meanwhile, families of the victims are left grieving, demanding justice for their lost loved ones.