Azamgarh: At least five persons were killed and around a dozen others injured on Sunday when a spark from a gas welding machine triggered an explosion in a shop where firecrackers were kept in Mukeriganj area of the district, officials said. Police said the explosion took place in the shop located in the Kotwali police station area at around 5.00 pm.

The shop, which had kept the firecrackers, did not have the licence required for this, District magistrate of Azamgarh Shivakant Dwivedi said. He said the district administration is probing whether the firecrackers kept in the shop were kept by its owner or by the licensee of the firecrackers. Fire-tenders rushed to the spot as soon as they were informed.