Andhra Pradesh Firecracker Unit Blast Death Toll Rises To 22: Kids Orphaned, Dreams Shattered
Nearly 20 people, including nine women were killed and nine others critically injured in a blast at a firecracker unit in Kakinada on February 28.
Published : March 2, 2026 at 12:30 PM IST
Kakinada: The death toll in the devastating explosion at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Vetlapalem village of Andhra Pradesh's Kakinada district rose to 22 after two more workers succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment, police said on Monday.
The explosion that initially left 20 people dead on February 28, not just claimed lives but shattered families, dreams, and hopes built over years of struggle.
The deceased workers hailed from Vetlapalem, Gudaparthi, Pedabrahmadevam, G. Medapadu, and Kummaraveedhi in Samarlakota mandal. Behind every name in the death list lies a painful story.
Grief Engulfs Village
"Now that my son Sampath is gone, who will take care of his wife and two children? Justice must be done," pleaded Edida Pothuraj of Vetlapalem.
Divya from Bhogapuram and Rani from Ramachandrapuram said, "Both our parents died while repaying debts taken for our weddings. Our family has collapsed.”
Another resident, Kalla Govind, said, "My mother-in-law returned to work after months. On the very first day, disaster struck."
Darshipati Satyanandam from Samarlakota said, "Firecracker accidents have repeatedly filled our family with darkness. This time, we need real support, not empty promises."
Deceased, Godatha Mahesh, worked as a daily labourer in the village and also at the firecracker unit. He is survived by his wife, a son, and a daughter, all of whom are studying.
Kadimpalli Dhanaraj lost his wife 10 years ago. His two children, a son and a mentally-challenged daughter, have been left orphaned.
Mandapalli Chinni, a labourer at the unit, has left behind a son and a daughter, on whose shoulders the responsibility the family rests. Sadhanala Satyaveni’s husband is a lorry driver and she is survived by a son and a daughter.
Valluri Ravi, the sole breadwinner of his family, was married and had a young son.
Godatha Nani, who lost his father at a young age and worked both in the field and at the unit, is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
Godatha Venkataramana, survived by a wife, son, and a married daughter. The tragedy has struck when wedding arrangements were underway for his son.
Kadimpalli Kripamani, wife of an agricultural labourer, leaves behind a son and a daughter. Though the entire family occasionally worked at the unit, she alone went on Saturday, the day she lost her life.
Adabala Srinivasa Rao, the owner of the unit, is survived by his two married sons. His family claims the unit was run as per rules and that the blast occurred due to a sudden fire.
In the early hours of Sunday, Darsipati Pedaloveraju (38) succumed to his injuries while Darsipati Raju Elias Rajesh (28) breathed his last late Saturday night. They were undergoing treatment at Kakinada Government General Hospital (GGH) after being critically injured in the massive blast at Suryashri Fireworks Centre.
Pedaloveraju and Rajesh were close relatives and had been working at Suryashri Fireworks Centre for the past three years. Pedaloveraju is survived by his wife Venkatalakshmi, daughter Lalitha (17), and son Prem Kumar (15). Both children are mentally challenged. Rajesh is survived by his wife Rajeshwari and two daughters, Aadya (3) and nine-month Sindhu.
Labour Minister Says Blast Occurred Due To Violation Of Rules
Police have registered cases under various sections against the unit's owner, Adabala Arjun, for alleged negligence and violation of safety norms. Investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of the explosion, they added.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Labour Minister Vasamsetty Subhash said the explosion occurred due to blatant violation of rules by the factory management. He visited the injured victims at the Kakinada GGH on Sunday and reviewed the arrangements.
"After 10 people died in a similar incident at Rayavaram last year, the government tightened safety rules for firecracker manufacturing units. There are 488 fireworks manufacturing units across the state and owners have been demanding relaxation of the newly framed norms. However, safety cannot be compromised. Issuing No Objection Certificates has been made stricter to prevent such tragedies,” he said.
The minister further said that the properties of the factory owners responsible for the blast would be confiscated and handed over to the victims’ families. "Those who play with workers’ lives will not be spared," he added.
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