Bangalore blast: What we know so far

An explosion at a firecracker storage facility in Bengaluru on Thursday killed at least three people and injured four others. 

“The blast took place in a transport godown next to a puncture shop. Three people were killed including two in the puncture shop while four were injured,” DCP (South) Harish Pandey told reporters.

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What we know so far – 

1. The incident took place in New Tharagupet area of Bengaluru on Thursday.

2. Initial reports said that it was either a cylinder explosion or a cracker blast but police have refuted both. 

“The origin of the blast is being investigated. It was neither a cylinder blast nor a cracker blast or a blast caused by a short circuit. There were no pieces of compressors also,” Pandey said.

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3. Police, however, believe an ‘unstable chemical’ caused the explosion. There are around 60 more boxes of the ‘unstable chemical’ inside the godown, police said.

4. An investigation was underway to track down the owner of the consignment.

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5. Eyewitnesses told local media that the blast was so powerful that its sound was heard up to 2 km away. Locals said they thought the city was rocked by an earthquake.

6. Police said the bodies of those who died in the blast were badly mutilated and that they have been identified.

7. Two of the four injured are critical and currently being treated at a local hospital. 

This is a developing story