Kolkata: Tragedy struck on Sunday (27 August) as a powerful explosion rocked an alleged firecracker factory in the Duttapukur area of West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district. The blast, occurring during the morning hours, claimed at least eight lives and left several individuals seriously injured. The incident has once again highlighted the issue of illegal firecracker manufacturing units in the state.
Fire brigade officials reported that the explosion took place in a residential area, causing substantial destruction to nearby buildings. Though the exact cause of the explosion remains unknown, its intensity led to widespread damage. Authorities rushed to the scene, which lies just a few kilometers away from the state capital, Kolkata. Police recovered five bodies from the site of the explosion, with two more fatalities occurring at a local hospital, according to Republic Bangla. Rescue operations are underway, as there's a possibility that individuals might still be trapped under debris.
State food minister and local legislator, Rathin Ghosh, confirmed that seven to eight people lost their lives, and around six sustained injuries due to the explosion. Ghosh stated that the building was being used to store firecrackers and that all illicit cracker units in Narayanpur had been shut down by the police. He remarked, "This is not an area where crackers were made. The main manufacturing hub was the Narayanpur area of Nilgunj, which is far away from here. Police had shut down all the cracker units at Narayanpur."
Locals, however, contradicted this claim, asserting that the factory was operating illegally from a residential home. They disclosed that the explosion occurred within a two-story house in the Nilgunj area of Duttapukar around 10:40 a.m. Regrettably, this incident is not isolated, as West Bengal has witnessed a series of similar explosions in allegedly illegal firecracker factories. In May, nine individuals lost their lives and seven were injured in an explosion at a firecracker factory in Egra, Midnapore district. Another explosion in May resulted in three casualties at an illegal firecracker manufacturing unit in South 24 Parganas district.
Despite the state government's announcement of a new policy allowing fireworks production only in designated industrial areas, the repeated explosions underscore the challenges in curbing illegal manufacturing. Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal assembly, criticized the TMC government for its inability to address this issue effectively. Adhikari accused the TMC government of having links with illegal firecracker manufacturers, alleging that the promises made to regulate the industry were mere publicity stunts. He highlighted that despite previous tragedies, meaningful action has been lacking.
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