Tragedy struck Kakinada district when a massive blast at a fireworks manufacturing unit killed 20 people and injured 15 on February 28. Located in Vetalapalem village by the Godavari canal, the Suryashri Fireworks factory erupted in a fireball around 2 PM, sending debris flying and igniting panic across nearby villages.
The explosion’s ferocity was unprecedented—bodies scattered across fields, homes trembled, and a local school suffered structural damage. Dense black smoke billowed high, visible from afar, as the blast’s roar traveled 5 km.
Andhra Pradesh CM N. Chandrababu Naidu cut short his Vizianagaram visit to coordinate response, dispatching Home Minister V. Anita and urging immediate relief. ‘This is a profound loss,’ he stated, probing the incident’s root causes.
Joining the chorus of grief, Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan liaised with local authorities, reporting persistent detonations and expedited medical evacuations. Labor Minister Vamshetty Subhash confirmed the grim toll, highlighting the vulnerability of factory workers, many of whom were women.
Firefighting units with two tenders arrived promptly, supported by police and medical teams. BJP’s PVN Madhav and opposition leader Jagan Mohan Reddy called for justice, compensation, and stringent safety reforms. With rescue operations ongoing, the state pledges unwavering support, but this disaster underscores urgent needs for industrial oversight.