Dhenkanal/Kendrapara: Two persons lost their lives while three others sustained grievous burn injuries in separate incidents of firecracker explosion in Odisha on Diwali Thursday.
In the first incident reported from Dhenkanal district, three motorcycle-borne youths carrying firecrackers in a bag were on their way to celebrate when the firecrackers exploded mid-way, leading to the fatal mishap Thursday evening.
The deceased was identified as Maheswar Moharana who hailed from Barada and the two injured have been identified as Birendra Nayak and Prasanna Brahma from the same village in Dhenkanal.
Passers-by rescued the injured and immediately sent to Dhenkanal district headquarters hospital (DHH).
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Actual reason behind the fatal explosion has not been ascertained yet. However, prima facie evidences suggest that the firecrackers might have exploded by chance, an official in Sadar police station said.
In the second incident reported from Kendrapara district, a man died following a huge blast while he was making firecrackers at his home in Juidaspur village under Sadar police limits.
According to a source, the crackers all of a sudden, caught fire and exploded leading to his death on the spot. Meanwhile, a local trader who had gone there to buy firecrackers was injured in the explosion.
The deceased firecracker maker was identified as Krushna Chandra Nayak and the injured person as Chinmaya Baral.
The injured was rescued by neighbours in critical condition from a pool of blood and rushed to Kendrapara DHH. Later, he was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) in Cuttack after his condition deteriorated.
The roof of the kutcha house where Krushna was making the firecrackers has been completely gutted following the explosion which was of very high intensity. Doors and windows of buildings nearby the unit have also been damaged, an eyewitness stated.
Local police have registered separate cases in both the incidents and launched probes which are underway.
PNN