Siwan, Bihar: A powerful explosion in Alampur village under the Jamo Bazar police station area of Siwan district, Bihar, claimed five lives. The district administration recovered five bodies from the debris of the damaged house and the surrounding area.
The deceased have been identified as Amiruddin Mian, 65, son of late Islam Mian and the owner of the house; Khushboo Siddiqui, 13, daughter of late Ayad Ahmad; Muskan Siddiqui, 23, daughter of Azad Ahmad; Arshad Siddiqui, 8, son of Firoz Ahmad; and Rajkumar Singh, 35, son of late Shankar Singh, a resident of Sadarpur under the Barharia police station area.
The incident plunged the locality into mourning. The explosion was so powerful that it severely damaged the house, leaving a large amount of debris. Fearing that more people could be trapped beneath the rubble, the district administration launched an extensive rescue and relief operation.
However, rescue workers faced significant challenges due to the unstable condition of the damaged structure, intermittent explosions and darkness. Keeping the safety of the rescue teams in mind, authorities suspended the operation at around 10 PM after recovering five bodies.
According to officials, the rescue operation is scheduled to resume on Saturday. A JCB machine will be used to remove the debris and search for other family members who may still be trapped beneath the rubble. The administration is preparing for further operations amid concerns that additional people could be buried under the collapsed structure.
Taking note of the seriousness of the incident, DIG Nilesh Kumar, District Magistrate Vijay Prakash Meena and Superintendent of Police Bharat Soni, along with other senior district officials, reached the site and monitored the rescue efforts. Following the suspension of the operation at night, the officials returned to their headquarters.
Extensive emergency arrangements were made at the site. Around 14 ambulances, more than five fire engines, three mortuary vehicles and hundreds of police personnel were deployed for rescue and relief work.
A medical team led by Civil Surgeon Dr Srinivas Prasad also remained stationed at the site to provide immediate medical assistance to anyone injured in the incident.
The immediate challenge for the administration is to remove the debris safely and determine whether anyone else remains trapped inside the damaged house. Authorities are proceeding cautiously because of the unstable structure and the reported intermittent explosions.
The exact cause of the blast and the total number of people affected remain unclear. Further details are expected to emerge after the investigation progresses and the rescue operation is completed.
