Bhubaneswar : At least three persons including a minor boy were killed and 33 other injured in a severe blast of firecrackers during Lord Jagannath’s Chandan Jatra festival in Puri on Wednesday night.
“Due to the unfortunate fire tragedy in Puri, 36 persons have been admitted in nine different Hospitals of Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Puri. As per the latest reports three patients have died,” Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Satyabrata Sahu said in a press statement today.
One boy succumbed to his injuries at SCB Medical College in Cuttack and two others died while undergoing treatment in private hospitals in Bhubaneswar, officials said.
All patients are being provided with the best possible treatment, care and support. The entire cost of treatment is borne by the Government including the cost of treatment in private hospitals, he said.
The SRC said ex-gratia assistance as admissible shall be paid by the Government. The situation is being closely monitored.
Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena, Khurda Collector Chanchal Rana and Health Secretary Shalini Pandit visited different hospitals late Wednesday night to supervise the treatment of the injured people.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday morning visited a private hospital here to meet the injured persons.
Shri Patnaik talked to doctors of the health facility and enquired about the condition of the patients.
The injured people were admitted to various private and government hospitals in Puri, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, the Health Secretary said.
“Several teams of doctors are trying their best to save the lives of the injured people. As the first 48-hour period is critical for such cases, we are monitoring their health condition,” Shrimati Pandit told reporters this morning.
She said that the state government is bearing the treatment cost of all those injured in the accident.
A group of devotees were celebrating the festival with crackers.
Suddenly, a splinter from the burning crackers struck the heap, leading to the explosion.
The Puri police registered a case and started investigation into the incident as no permission was given to burst firecrackers in the festival, police sources said.
ACS Shri Sahu is monitoring and is in contact with officials and all out support is being extended to the victims, an official said.