Araz News:At least seven people have lost their lives in  Ardabil city  after an accident in which a teenager making homemade fireworks for a festival ahead of the Norooz blew up his home.

The massive explosion occurred in a residential building in in the city of Ardabil on Friday evening, a few days before Chaharshanbe Suri (the Festival of Fire), the chief prosecutor of Ardabil Province, Nasser Atabati, told Tasnim news agency on Saturday.

He said that the blast killed the teenager and six other members of his family, adding that four others were injured, with one in critical condition.

He said rescue teams and police were present at the site of the incident, adding that some materials used for the production of handmade explosives had been found from under the rubble.

Atabati stressed that the explosion had taken place due to the teenager’s ignorance of warnings on handmade fireworks and his attempts to make explosives inside the residential building.

Chaharshanbe Suri is an Iranian festival celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday before Norooz. During the Chaharshanbe Suri celebrations, Iranians traditionally jump over bonfires and set off fireworks. Iranian officials constantly warn about the production and use of illegal fireworks.

This year’s Norooz falls on March 21.

By-payvand