Overview
- A powerful explosion and fire tore through a firecracker unit on Ramol‑Gatrad Road, killing nine people and injuring several others after rescue teams reached the scene; the blast was reported on Saturday and emergency crews took victims to LG and Asarwa Civil hospitals.
- Investigators found the unit operating without a valid licence and storing quantities of explosive material well above the legal 15 kg limit, and forensic teams collected evidence from the badly damaged site to determine the exact sequence of events.
- Ahmedabad Police arrested three people identified as operators Mehul Dodia and Ramila Dodia and an associate Sadiq Saiyed and registered an FIR under culpable homicide and explosives laws as a Special Investigation Team deepens the probe.
- Officials said many workers had been brought from Dahod district and that some victims were children; several admitted with extensive burns later died in hospital, complicating identification and family notifications.
- The blast revived scrutiny of a long regulatory history at the location, including a 2014 fatal accident and cancelled licences, and has prompted citywide inspections, sealing of other units, and announced ex gratia payments from central and state authorities.