Kolkata: Two more workers, who sustained severe burns in the massive fire at an oil and chemical factory in Madhyamgram on Wednesday, died on Thursday, raising the death toll to three. The factory owner remains in critical condition and is reportedly battling for life at a private hospital off EM Bypass.
A ‘blast' triggered the devastating fire at the factory at Chandigari near Madhyamgram's Badu on Wednesday afternoon. It took more than six hours to extinguish the flames, even as eight fire engines were pressed into service.
One worker, Biswanath Bose, died in the fire, while factory owner Kuldeep Singh and two other workers, Jaydeb Karmakar (62) and Sahar Ali (65), suffered severe burns. "Initially, they were unable to escape. Bose was trapped inside a room. It was impossible to rescue him, and he died in the blaze," a senior fire brigade officer said.
Karmakar (62) and Ali (65) were rushed to Barasat Medical College, where they succumbed to their injuries early on Thursday. Singh, the son-in-law of the factory owner, is still undergoing treatment in a serious condition.