Nayagarh: The death toll in the horrific firecracker explosion in Odisha's Nayagarh district has risen to four with another injured person succumbing during treatment today. The deceased has been identified as a 14-year-old minor, Amit Sethi. He was staying at his brother-in-law’s house, where he was both studying and making firecrackers.

Amit's death comes shortly after the owner of the firecracker unit at Korada village Hadibandhu Sethi died while undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. Earlier, two labourers — Niranjan Nahak of Korada and Bapuni Nahak of Mina Gadiya — had died from severe burn injuries. At least six people, including Amit, had sustained critical injuries in the blast.

Concerns over unsafe firecracker handling

The explosion had occurred on April 3 during preparations for the Dasapalla Lankapodi Yatra in Korada police limits. Fire services and police had rushed to the site immediately after the incident and shifted the injured to Nuagaon Primary Health Centre. Of the six critical victims, five of them were moved to the District Headquarters Hospital and subsequently referred to AIIMS Bhubaneswar for advanced care. However, four succumed during treatment.

Sources said the number of injured persons is expected to go higher. Followig the mishap, four persons including a woman supplier had been arrested with over 50 kg illegal firecrackers being seized from the accident site.

Also read: Nayagarh explosion: Injured man succumbs at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar