By IANS,
Lucknow : Two women were killed here Wednesday when a fire-cracker stockpile in their house exploded. Over a dozen people in the house suffered serious burn injuries, Senior Superintendent of Police R.K. Chaturvedi told IANS.
The incident took place at Kankaha village in Mohanlalganj on the outskirts of Lucknow.
The house belongs to a local fire-cracker manufacturer who, along with his five brothers and their families, lived in the house. The explosion was so great that the roof of the house collapsed, burying the family members.
Those trapped under the debris were pulled out in a joint operation by police and villagers.
The deceased have been identified as Rabina, who died on the spot, and Saira Bano, who died in hospital.
Walls in several neighbouring houses cracked under the impact of the explosion. The owner of the house has a state government licence to manufacture fire-crackers.