A civic volunteer was killed in a fire that triggered an explosion of firecrackers stored at a warehouse of Panskura police station in East Midnapore on Thursday.

The warehouse is situated behind the police station.

Civic volunteer Gopal Manna, 42, who succumbed to burns suffered in the explosion, is a resident of Haur village in Panskura police station area.

According to preliminary investigations, the fire broke out at the warehouse and raced to envelop a large number of firecrackers seized during Diwali this year that were stored there. A motorcycle kept outside the police station was also burnt to ashes.

A police officer attached to Panskura police station said the firecrackers seized during a pre-Diwali search operation had been stored at the warehouse.

“On Thursday afternoon, a fire broke out in the warehouse. As a large amount of flammable material was stored there, it spread fast,” the cop said.

Initially, cops on duty at the police station and residents jumped in to extinguish the fire. In the process Manna suffered burn injuries. The critically injured civic volunteer was rushed to Panskura Super-specialty Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

“We tried to douse the blaze and unfortunately Manna suffered severe burn injuries and died,” said an officer from Panskura police station.

Finally, two fire engines arrived from Tamluk and brought the fire under control.