Breaking news! A tragic incident occurred at an illegal firecracker factory in Patharpratima, South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal. Six people, including three children, lost their lives in a major blast on Monday night.
The explosion happened at a residence owned by Chandranath Banik around 10 p.m. The loud noise of the blasts alerted the locals, who rushed to the scene and found the entire house on fire.
Local residents initiated the firefighting efforts, and soon, the Dholahat police station and the state fire services department joined in to control the fire. However, the flames were still raging when this report was compiled.
So far, six charred bodies, including those of three children, have been recovered. The death toll might rise as full-scale rescue operations are yet to commence.
Samir Jana, the Trinamool Congress legislator from Patharpratima Assembly constituency, arrived at the site to oversee the firefighting and rescue operations. He confirmed the recovery of six bodies from the burning house.
West Bengal has witnessed similar tragic incidents in the past due to illegal firecracker factories. In February this year, four individuals died in a blast in Kalyani, Nadia district. In 2023, nine people lost their lives in Egra, East Midnapore district, due to a similar explosion.
Authorities often promise stringent actions against illegal firecracker units after such incidents, but the enforcement seems to wane over time.
(This story is unaltered by India Press Live and is sourced from a syndicated feed.)
