Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh): At least 20 people were killed and a few others critically injured in a powerful explosion at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Kakinada district on Saturday, officials confirmed.

 

Kakinada SP Bindu Madhav confirmed that the number of casualties has risen to 20. A police officer earlier added that the intensity of the explosion was so severe that bodies were thrown into nearby paddy fields.

Officials at Kakinada Government General Hospital said seven patients with burn injuries — ranging from 90% to 100% — were admitted for urgent care. Medical teams are providing intensive treatment.

According to authorities, up to 20 workers were present at the cracker unit — reportedly operating under the name Surya Fireworks — when the explosion occurred.

Fire and thick smoke were seen rising from the site following the blast. Emergency services rushed to the scene, and ambulances transported the injured to nearby hospitals.

The explosion left behind distressing scenes amid lush green fields surrounding the village. Local residents and rescue teams were seen collecting bodies using barakalu — sheets made from fertiliser bags — as they worked through the debris.

Police have deployed drones to search nearby agricultural areas for body parts that were scattered by the force of the explosion.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, calling it a devastating incident.

“The explosion at a crackers manufacturing unit at Vetlapalem village in Kakinada district has really pained me. Multiple people losing their lives in this accident is sad,” he said in a post on social media platform X.

Naidu said he had spoken to senior officials and directed them to provide immediate assistance to victims and their families. He also instructed ministers and top officials to visit the accident site and closely monitor rescue operations.