Eighteen workers were killed and five others injured after a blast at a firecracker warehouse led to a blaze and collapse of the building in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district on Tuesday, officials said. The incident took place in an industrial area near Deesa town at around 9.45 am.

“As many as 18 persons died in the incident, and five others were injured after the slab of the building collapsed following a massive blast,” SP Akshayraj Makwana said. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed grief over the incident and announced a financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured persons.