Pune: In a disturbing incident in Pune’s Narhe area near Sinhagad Road, two children were injured when an unexpected explosion occurred as they were lighting firecrackers on a manhole cover.

The incident, reported to the Sinhagad Road Police Station, has highlighted the potential hazards associated with lighting firecrackers in unsafe areas.

The incident took place in the courtyard of a residential society, where a group of children was igniting firecrackers on a sewage chamber cover. One child set off a firecracker directly on the manhole cover, which suddenly exploded, breaking the cover and causing fragments to fly, injuring two children.

Upon receiving information, Sinhagad Road police arrived at the scene and attended to the injured children. In total, five children were reported to have sustained injuries, although two of them were more seriously hurt due to contact with the cover’s broken pieces.

CCTV footage from the society recorded the entire incident, and the video has since been widely shared on social media, sparking concern.

Following the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police for Zone 3, Sambhaji Kadam, issued a safety advisory for parents, urging them to supervise young children closely while lighting firecrackers.

He also cautioned against lighting firecrackers near areas like electric poles or motorcycles, which could pose further risks. Police officials are still investigating the cause of the explosion on the manhole cover.