4 Killed as firecracker factory explodes in Nadia, West Bengal

A powerful explosion at a firecracker factory in West Bengal’s Nadia district killed at least four people on Friday afternoon. Officials said that rescue efforts are still ongoing.The police reached the spot and called the fire department for assistance. They fear that the death toll may increase.

Rescue teams recovered at least four burnt bodies from the site, while one person was critically injured. The victims were taken to JNM Hospital in Kalyani for treatment. “The explosion destroyed the entire factory. So far, we have recovered four charred bodies, and efforts to control the fire are still ongoing,” a police officer said.

Eyewitnesses said that the blast occurred around 1 pm in the Rathtala area of Kalyani. Residents believe that the victims were factory workers.

A police officer said the factory was in a crowded area and may have been operating without proper permissions. Authorities are now investigating how it was allowed to function.

West Bengal has seen several explosions at firecracker factories in recent years, often resulting in casualties and property damage. Many of these factories operate without proper licenses or safety measures, increasing the risk of such accidents.

In the past six months alone, similar incidents have occurred in Champahati and Diamond Harbour in the South 24 Parganas district. In May 2023, an explosion at an illegal firecracker unit in Egra, Purba Medinipur, killed several workers and led to a crackdown on unauthorized factories.

Authorities have repeatedly warned against illegal firecracker manufacturing, but enforcement remains a challenge, with many factories operating in densely populated areas.