Four people were killed and six others injured on Tuesday when a two-storey building housing an alleged illegal soap-making factory in the Lohia Nagar locality in Meerut collapsed after an explosion.
District officials, including the District Magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), reached the spot along with rescue workers, after which debris was removed from the explosion spot. Locals said an explosion occurred in the house due to the making of illegal firecrackers.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Ghaziabad was also called to the spot.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath offered condolences to the deceased and directed officials to provide the best available medical facilities to the injured.