Burning bright, burning wrong: The emerging threat of gandhak–potash explosives
Sunakshi Aggarwal, Pradeep Gupta, Amit SharmaBackground:
Homemade explosives containing gandhak (sulfur) and potash (salts of potassium) are increasingly being used as substitutes for firecrackers, posing a significant burn hazard.
Materials and Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed 14 patients with gandhak–potash-related burns admitted between 2021 and 2024 at a tertiary care center. Data collected included demographics, burn characteristics, ocular injuries, management, and outcomes. Ethical approval was obtained from the institutional review board.
Results:
Most patients were young males (mean age: 24 years). The upper limbs (92.8%) and face (57.1%) were the most affected areas. Ocular injuries occurred in 57.1% of cases, with 21.4% developing permanent visual impairment. Three patients (21.4%) died. Distinctive features included tattooing, singeing, punctate abrasions, and deposition of unburnt particles. Blast-related injuries led to amputations and fractures.
Conclusions:
Gandhak-potash burns represent a unique and dangerous category of injuries requiring specialized and multidisciplinary care. These burns have a signatory presentation and pattern of injury. These incidents also highlight the public health risks associated with the unregulated availability of hazardous substances. Regulatory action and community education are urgently needed to prevent further injuries, particularly among children and adolescents during festive seasons.