Three people, including a minor, lost their lives in an illegal fireworks factory explosion that has shaken West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district. This is the second such explosion in the state within a week. A blast at an illegal fireworks unit in Egra, East Midnapore killed nine people on My 19. Both incidents have brought the state police under intense scrutiny.
The fireworks manufacturing unit, located in Nandarampur, Budge Budge exploded around 7:30 pm on Sunday. Two people died at the scene while a third individual died while undergoing treatment at a nearby hospital. Multiple persons have also sustained burns from the blast. The explosion was so intense that part of a temporary canopy of a two-storey house was knocked to the ground.
According to Budge Budge police, more than 20,000 kg of illegal fire crackers have been recovered in a search operation following the incident. In addition, 34 people have been arrested in connection to the factory. Meanwhile, the state government has handed the investigation to the West Bengal CID. A five-member team headed by a senior CID officer visited the blast site on Monday. Detectives went to the roof of the house where the unit was operating from and collected samples to send to the forensic department. According to locals, a firework godown was built on the second floor of the house.
The South 24 Parganas district is in a state of unrest since the incident. Residents on Monday morning blocked the leading to the village where the explosion occurred. They claim that making and selling fireworks is the primary source of income for many people in the area.
