Blast in slum kills 1, injures 5 in Odisha

Rourkela (Odisha): A woman was killed and five others injured, one of them critically, when a blast rocked a slum in Madhusudanpalli area here Monday.

The explosion occurred at a dwelling when some explosive materials, believed to have been stored for making firecrackers, caught fire, police said.

All the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital where a woman was declared dead, said Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Pradyumna Mishra.

Another woman was later shifted to VSS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) at Burla where her condition was stated to be critical, he said.

The impact of the explosion was such that around 15 dwellings in the slum were severely damaged and household goods destroyed, police said.

The asbestos roofs of several dwellings were blown away and walls collapsed, they said adding fire brigade personnel had rushed to the site to conduct rescue operation.