A massive explosion rocked an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in the Pachkosi area of Sarnath, Varanasi, on Thursday evening. The blast was so severe that the residential building completely collapsed into rubble.
A massive rescue operation was launched to pull survivors from the wreckage. The explosion trapped around six individuals from firecracker trader Raju Khan’s family beneath the debris, causing panic and chaos among local residents. Local Sarnath police, fire brigade units, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams rushed to the site immediately after receiving word of the blast. Hospital transfers : Injured individuals recovered from the debris were rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical care. Search and rescue : Rescue teams operated continuously through the evening to locate and extract trapped family members from deep beneath the concrete blocks. The sheer force of the explosion caused the outer wall and portions of a neighboring house directly adjacent to Raju Khan’s property to collapse as well. A large crowd of local residents gathered at the scene. Given the gravity of the incident, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrived at the site to launch a thorough investigation. Preliminary findings indicate that unauthorized firecracker manufacturing was actively taking place inside the residential property before a catastrophic spark triggered the blast. Forensic teams are examining the debris to confirm the exact trigger.
Because of unexploded fireworks and the constant threat of secondary detonations, rescue workers proceeded with extreme caution.
His brother, Saleem, lives in an adjacent home directly behind him, and both brothers were involved in the fireworks trade. Law enforcement agencies are now investigating how large quantities of explosive materials were stored in a densely populated residential zone without valid permits or safety compliances. Raju Khan had lived in the Pachkosi area for nearly 25 years, according to locals.
