A severe explosion occurred during Dussehra preparations in Ghaziabad, leaving five workers injured and causing significant structural damage to a civic facility. The incident took place on the morning of October 5 inside a municipal corporation community centre situated in Lajpat Nagar, Sahibabad. Workers were actively packing firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials into the framework of a Ravana effigy when an accidental blast was triggered. The force of the explosion was powerful enough to bring down two exterior walls of the facility's large hall, triggering immediate panic across the surrounding neighborhood.
Flames Erupt Inside Municipal Hall During Effigy Setup
The emergency unfolded at around 9:26 AM on October 5. Initially, the control room at Sahibabad Fire Station received an alert stating that a fire had broken out at a fireworks shop near Shani Chowk by the Ramlila ground. Responding swiftly to the distress call, the Chief Fire Officer alongside the In-charge Fire Officer of Sahibabad rushed to the location accompanied by three fire tenders. However, upon arrival, emergency personnel discovered that the fire was not at a retail cracker shop, but rather inside the spacious hall of the municipal community centre located directly behind the Ramlila ground.
Firefighters acted rapidly to bring the blaze under control before it could spread further. A subsequent inspection of the hall revealed that the space was being utilized to construct a giant Ravana effigy for the upcoming festive celebrations. While workers were stuffing explosive fireworks and pyrotechnics into the effigy structure, sparks triggered an uncontrolled ignition that culminated in the blast. The sheer pressure of the detonation knocked down two internal walls of the hall, scattering debris across the area.
Burn Victims Transferred to Premier Hospitals in Delhi
According to available details, the local Ramlila Committee had awarded the contract for constructing the Ravana effigy to an individual named Anil Singh. His laborers were handling the task of loading fireworks into the effigy when the sudden flare-up engulfed them. All five individuals who sustained burns were immediately rushed to MMG Hospital for urgent medical attention. Following initial stabilization, attending doctors determined that the severity of their burn trauma warranted specialized intervention.
Due to critical conditions, two of the injured victims were transferred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, while the remaining three workers were admitted to GTB Hospital in Delhi for comprehensive treatment. Teams from both the police and fire departments visited the hospital facilities to record details and track the medical progress of the victims. Authorities have officially identified two of the injured individuals as Rishabh and Harendra, while verification of the identities of the other three workers remains underway.
Police Dismiss Rumors of Illegal Cracker Manufacturing
In the immediate aftermath of the loud explosion, local rumors began circulating that an illicit firecracker manufacturing unit was being operated out of the municipal premises. Police authorities promptly moved to quell these speculations and clarify the facts. ACP Sahibabad Amit Saxena stated unequivocally that no commercial cracker production was taking place on the site. He affirmed that the workers were strictly engaged in stuffing pyrotechnics into the festive effigy ahead of Dussehra, during which the accidental ignition occurred.
