Meerut, Dec. 17 -- An explosion that ripped through a firecracker factory in the Jalalabad area of Bijnor district on Tuesday morning killed one of the workers on the spot, police said. Even as over 40 other people were said to be working in the factory, no one else was said to have suffered any injuries in the incident. The blast, which caused panic among the workers, occurred at around 10:30 am at Shifa Fire Works located on the Jalalabad-Kotwali canal embankment bypass road. Officials said the exact cause of the explosion was under probe, and the factory management would be questioned as part of the inquiry to ascertain any negligence or violation of safety standards. According to officials, the explosion took place when sulphur and potassium were being sifted under a mango tree inside the factory premises. The impact of the blast was so severe that Sudhir Kumar (35) from Padla village in Bijnor was killed on the spot as his body severed under the impact.Among the 40 workers, several were women, who were at a little distance from the explosion site. The sudden explosion caused chaos and a stampede-like situation on the premises, officials said.Superintendent of police Abhishek Jha, sub-divisional magistrate Shailendra Kumar Singh, circle officer Nitesh Pratap Singh, and station house officer Rahul Singh inspected the site. The police sent the body for a post-mortem examination.Meanwhile, the district administration has launched an investigation into the incident and has begun examining whether safety norms were being followed at the factory. htc...