Deesa Warehouse Fire: Gujarat High Court Seeks State's Response On PIL For Compensation To Victims, Regulation Of Fire Cracker Units

The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday (November 25) sought the response of the State government and the Gujarat Pollution Control Board on a PIL concerning a fire incident which had occurred in two alleged illegal fire cracker manufacturing warehouses in Deesa town in April this year leading to the death of 21 persons. 

For context, a petition on the issue was transferred to the High Court by the Supreme Court through its order dated 26.09.2025.  After transfer, the matter was registered as Special Criminal Application for direction.

On November 21 the high court had, after noting the nature of the incident, the reliefs prayed and the scope of inquiry into the nature of the incident, converted the petition into a PIL with cause title “In re: Deesa fire tragedy occurred on 01.04.2025 in an illegal firecracker manufacturing facility comprising six warehouses in Deesa, District Banaskantha.”

During the hearing today the counsel for the petitioner Ronith Joy submitted before a division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice DN Ray that the petition prayed for:

1. Adequate compensation be provided to the next of kin of the deceased and injured during the tragedy

2. Transfer of investigation to independent investigation agency

3. Non-compliance of fire safety norms, The Explosive Substances Act 1908, the Explosives Act 1884 and Gujarat Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act

4. Need for proper monitoring and regulation of fire cracker manufacturing industry in the state

5. SIT and high level committee constituted by the state government be asked to submit their report to the high court

6. The role of the officers who have permitted the manufacturing unit and the storage to continue in the industrial area of Deesa, Banaskantha despite expiry of fire license for manufacturing and storage is to be found and adequate punishment be imposed

The court in its order dictated:

"On all these issues raised by the petitioner, we require the government pleader appearing for the state respondents to submit the response of the proper officer on each of the issues noted herein above. Advocate for GPCB shall complete her instructions to bring before the court the role played by GPCB if any in the running of manufacturing unit and storage of fire crackers, illegally, which may also concern the environmental issues. Director, Industry Safety Health, impleaded as respondent 7 would be personally answerable to the court about the manner in which the industry in question was permitted to run in Deesa in violation of all safety norms. The question about the role of the Director of Fire Prevention Services, of the directorate established under the Gujarat Fire Prevention Life Safety Measures Act would be looked into after response of all other respondents are received".

The court permitted impleadment of the owners of the warehouse/manufacturing unit concerned–Deepak Traders, within the course of the day. 

"To issue notice to newly impleaded respondents/owners of manufacturing unit and warehouse would be considered on the next date. Put up this matter on December 9," the court said. 

The petition contends contention in the petition is that a fire incident had occurred in two warehouses where illegal fire crackers were stacked which had resulted in the death of 21 individuals workers including seven children had died due to burn injuries when a fire broke out on April 1 in the illegal manufacturing facilities at Deesa, mentioned as Deesa warehouses.

At least 27 workers were inside they could not escape due to collapsed walls and ongoing explosions. Two out of six warehouses in locality were flattened by the fire.

The plea contends that all the labourers were brought to work illegally and many engaged were children and women which is against the child labour prohibition act. An FIR was lodged against the owners of the warehouse–Khubchandbhai Renumal Mohnani and Deepak Mohnani (father and son) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and provisions of the Explosives Act and Explosive Substances Act. 

The petitioner, a labourer, from Dewas village in Madhya Pradesh had lost six members of his family in the blast including his daughter, son-in-law and siblings of son-in-law and daughter's mother-in-law. The petition also pointed to similar such incidents which had occurred in the State. 

The plea contends that a 5-member SIT was formed on April 1; 12 hours later a high level probe committee was formed on April 2 for investigation of the cause and regulatory lapses behind the tragedy. 

It contends that though the central and state government of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh announced compensation to next of kin of deceased and injured persons the sum awarded is meagre. Both the owners have been arrested and additionally four other persons were detained by police during investigation. 

It was contended that the owners of Deepak Traders, the manufacturing unit, had approached authorities for renewal of license to store and manufacture fire crackers in their warehouses located in the outskirts of Deesa town in Banaskantha district, as the license had lapsed on 31-12-2024. 

In January 2025, the SDM had ordered inspection of the 6 warehouses owned by Deepak Traders. On 28-2-2025 the warehouses were inspected by the police revealing major safety violations including no valid fire No-Objection Certificate. A negative report was submitted by the officer concerned which noted lack of fire extinguishers, confusing license documents and suspicion of storage in adjacent warehouses. However no follow-up was made leading to continuation of unchecked protection and storage.

It was contended that license was not ultimately renewed however despite this the labourers were brought to Deesa on 29-3-2025 by accused persons two days before the fire tragedy. 

It was contended that the labourers were instructed to always keep the shutters down to avoid detection and the forensic investigation conducted by FSL revealed that explosions were caused due to presence of aluminium powder and bag full of yellow dextrin powder both critical ingredients for fire cracker manufacturing. 

The matter is listed on December 9. 

Case title: CHANDAR SINGH NAYAK V/S STATE OF GUJARAT & ORS

R/WPPIL/52/2025