LUCKNOW, Oct. 16 -- As many as 12 people, including five members of a family, were injured in a blast at a house allegedly used for manufacturing and storing firecrackers for Diwali in Sultanpur's Miyanganj village early Wednesday, senior police officials said.

The incident occurred around 4:30 am at the residence of Mohd Nasir, who has reportedly been engaged in firecracker manufacturing for several years. Five family members are in critical condition and receiving treatment at Sultanpur Medical College, while seven others, from neighbouring homes, sustained injuries.

Officials said the investigation is underway to determine whether the manufacturing unit was operating legally. However, Nasir's neighbour, Laxmi Prasad, alleged that the...