Emergency services at Talent Fireworks factory on Ramol-Gatrad Road (ANI Photo, Enhanced using AI)At least six people were killed and several others were injured after a powerful explosion triggered a fire at an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in Ahmedabad’s Ramol area on Saturday.Authorities said 14 people were inside the factory when the blast occurred, and the toll could rise as some of the injured remain in critical condition.The explosion took place around 3.30 pm at the unit on Ramol-Gatrad Road, following which a massive fire broke out.Confirming the casualties, a police official had earlier said, “Four people have died in the incident and several others have been hospitalised with injuries. The toll may rise due to the critical condition of some of the injured persons,” the official said.Joint Commissioner of Police Jaipal Singh Rathore said the firecracker unit had been operating without a valid licence on an open farmland.Teams from the Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) rushed to the spot and launched firefighting, rescue and relief operations.Police said a case would be registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, along with relevant sections of the Explosives Act.Story continues below this adPrime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident in a post on X, saying he was “extremely saddened” by the loss of lives in the blast at the fireworks factory in Ahmedabad.Extremely saddened to hear about the loss of lives due to a mishap at a fireworks factory in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. The local administration is providing all possible…— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 18, 2026He extended condolences to the bereaved families, wished a speedy recovery to those injured, and said the local administration was providing all possible assistance to those affected. Modi also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of each deceased, while Rs 50,000 would be provided to every injured person.(With inputs from PTI)