Kolkata, Aug 20 (IANS) Five people were injured in an explosion at a firecracker manufacturing unit in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district of Champahati on Thursday, police officials said.
Two of them are in critical condition and have been identified as Padmarani Naskar (52) and a man named Abbas Gazi.
The police said that all the injured were initially taken to Baruipur hospital but were later shifted to a hospital in Kolkata.
The incident has spread panic in the area.
According to local sources, a loud explosion took place in a house in Champahati where firecrackers were being made.
Hearing the sound, the residents of the area rushed to the spot.
Five people inside the house were seriously injured in the explosion. As soon as the news spread, a crowd of local residents started gathering at the spot.
Among the injured, the name of a woman named Padmarani Naskar also came to the fore.
After the explosion, they were quickly rescued and sent to the hospital.
Meanwhile, serious allegations of illegal firecracker making have surfaced in connection with the explosion.
A section of local residents claimed that Bapi Naskar had built a house in the forest certain distance from the locality under the guise of a fish business.
Allegedly, illegal firecracker making was taking place in that house.
Initially, it is believed that an explosion may have occurred during the making of the firecrackers.
However, no definite information has been found yet about the actual cause of the explosion.
The police are investigating all these issues to find out what kind of materials were stored in that house, whether firecrackers were made there or not, whether any explosives or flammable materials were stored for making firecrackers.
Based on the complaints of the locals, the possibility of illegal firecracker making is also being investigated.
A large police force of Baruipur Police District quickly reached the spot after receiving the news of the incident.
Police officers led by Additional Superintendent of Police Atish Biswas inspected the spot.
The various items and the condition of the house at the spot are also being examined.
The fire brigade was also informed after receiving the news of the explosion.
–IANS
sch/khz