Six women were burnt alive while fourteen others suffered injuries in an explosion in an illegal firecracker packing factory in the Haroli area of the Una district of Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday morning.

State Disaster Management Authority director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said the incident took place at around 10.15 am in a firecracker unit at Gurpalah near Bela Bathri in Tahliwal Industrial area of Haroli that was being run illegally.

The fire broke out due to the explosion in the firecracker factory where 20 women were working out of which six died on the spot while fourteen others suffered injuries.

A police official said the injured were rushed to Sian Hospital, Bathri where the condition of 11 persons is said to be serious and they were rushed to PGI Chandigarh for further medical treatment. While three others had suffered minor injuries, he added.

The police officer stated that a team has visited the spot to ascertain the exact cause behind the accident.

Further investigations in the matter are on, he added.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has expressed grief over the fire incident in a firecracker factory in Haroli Sub Division of Una district today that left six dead and 14 injured.

The Chief Minister directed the district administration to immediately provide relief and rehabilitation to affected persons and take stern action against the guilty as per law.

Jai Ram Thakur announced Rs four lakh each to the next kin of the deceased of this mishap and a special messenger has been sent for PGI Chandigarh to provide Rs 15,000 each to 11 others seriously injured in the tragic incident. Similarly, Rs 5,000 each has been provided to three persons admitted to Una hospital.

The Chief Minister also ordered a Divisional Commissioner inquiry into the incident and asked to submit its report within a week. He said that an inquiry would also be conducted regarding renting out the land for this illegal cracker factory.

Jai Ram Thakur prayed to the Almighty to give peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families to bear the irreparable loss.

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur and State BJP chief Suresh Kashyap too had expressed grief over the incident.

HPSIDC Vice Chairman Prof Ram Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Una Raghav Sharma, and other district officers have reached the incident site and supervised the relief and rescue operations.