Nine injured as powerful explosion rips through house in UP's Sultanpur

Sultanpur:An explosion in the house of a firecracker trader in Sultanpur district early Wednesday left nine people injured, including seven members of a family, officials said.

Police said the blast occurred in Miyaganj village around 4.40 am at the house of licensed firecracker trader Mohammad Yaseen, completely damaging the structure and causing cracks in nearby buildings.

The injured have been identified as Nazir (65), his wife Jamaat-ul-Nisha (62), their sons Noor Mohammad (25) and Suhail (17), and daughters Sada (12), Khushi (15), and Sahana (20). Two neighbours, Faizan (8) and Kaif (22), sons of Abdul Hameed,” were also injured.

Yaseen has been taken into custody for questioning, and multiple angles are being investigated to determine the cause of the explosion, the police said.

Locals rushed to rescue the injured and took them to the community health centre in Jayasinhpur, from where those with severe burn injuries were referred to Sultanpur Medical College. The police and fire brigade reached the spot soon after receiving information and began rescue and relief operations.

Chief Medical Superintendent Dr R K Mishra and City Station House Officer Dheeraj Kumar visited the hospital to oversee the treatment of the injured.

Inspector General (Ayodhya Range) Praveen Kumar, District Magistrate Kumar Harsh, and Superintendent of Police Kunwar Anupam Singh also reached the site to review the situation.

According to eyewitnesses, the blast was followed by smaller explosions inside the house, completely blowing off the roof. It also damaged nearby houses, including Abdul Hameed's, whose walls apparently cracked.

The explosion was so powerful that its sound was heard several kilometres away, triggering panic among the locals.

The entire area has been cordoned off for investigation, with police and fire department teams stationed at the site, officials said.