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A massive blast ripped through an ordnance factory near Nagpur this morning, killing eight workers and injuring seven others. The blast occurred in the Bhandara district of Maharashtra. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari confirmed the deaths at an event in the afternoon.
"In Bhandara, at the ordnance factory, a major mishap has taken place, resulting in the death of eight people and injuries to seven others. This is preliminary information," the minister said while asking people to observe a minute's silence to pay respect to those who lost their lives in the "unfortunate incident".
The blast occurred in the LTP section of the factory around 10.30 am, District Collector Sanjay Kolte had said earlier. Firefighters and medical staff were at the scene to contain the situation.
It led to the roof collapse and trapped over a dozen workers. In the initial efforts, three were rescued alive and one was found dead. An excavator was used to remove the debris, said the senior official.
The blast was of such an intensity that it was heard from 5 km away. A thick smoke was seen rising from the factory in a video captured from a distance.
In a previous update, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said top officials were at the blast site and rescue teams from Nagpur were reaching soon. Medical teams were also ready to help if needed, he had assured.