Four die in blast in firecracker factory

Ghaziabad, April 28 : Four persons were killed and five injured on Friday when an explosion rocked a godown of a firecracker factory here, police said.

The incident occurred in Farukh Nagar near the Hindon Indian Air Force station.

The police said although the National Green Tribunal had ordered the closure of firecracker factories, the owner of Arif Crackers was illegally manufacturing firecrackers.

As the stock was being transferred to the godown, an explosion took place, killing the four. The bodies were charred.

A dozen fire tenders took two hours to control the flames, Ghaziabad Chief Fire Officer Akshay Sharma said.