Tragic Blaze Claims Five Lives at Jharkhand Firecracker Shop

A fire at a firecracker shop in Jharkhand's Garhwa resulted in the death of five individuals, including three children. The blaze's cause remains unknown, prompting an investigation. Authorities and politicians express condolences and call for accountability in the licensing process for shops in densely populated areas.

In a horrific incident on Monday, a fire at a firecracker shop in Jharkhand's Garhwa district claimed the lives of at least five individuals, including three children, officials confirmed. The tragedy unfolded at Godarmana Bazar in the Ranka police station area around 12.30 PM while fireworks were being sold.

Authorities, including Garhwa SP Deepak Pandey and SDPO Rohit Ranjan Singh, confirmed the casualties as investigations into the fire's cause continue. The injured were transported to a hospital in neighboring Chhattisgarh, where doctors pronounced them dead, Singh reported.

The tragic event has drawn reactions from political leaders, with Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and Chief Minister Hemant Soren offering condolences. Opposition figures, like BJP MLA Satyendra Nath Tiwari, criticized the decision to allow firecracker sales in dense areas, questioning the licensing process and demanding compensation for victims' families.

(With inputs from agencies.)