Kolkata: An explosion ripped through a fireworks manufacturing unit at Champahati on Saturday afternoon, severely injuring all the four workers inside. One of them is battling for life with 80%-90% burns.
The blast occurred around 12.20 pm. Witnesses said three back-to-back deafening explosions blew off the corrugated-sheet roof of the unit and brought the brick walls down. The workers inside had little chance to escape. Locals called emergency services and the injured were taken to Baruipur Subdivisional Hospital and a private hospital near EM Bypass. Among the injured Gourhari Ganguly, Gour Gangopadhyay, Kishan Mandal and Rahul Mandal, Gourhari is in a critical state.
The factory owner, Bidhan Mandal, remained untraced, said an officer. Police are probing if the unit had a licence to manufacture fireworks. A preliminary probe suggested firecrackers were being made for a wedding and that mishandling of materials by unskilled hands might have triggered the blast. Samples have been collected for a forensic test.
Shambhu Mandal, a neighbour, said, "By the time we reached the spot, the roof had flown away and the walls collapsed. Chemicals were scattered, drums were lying overturned. All the four workers were lying, badly burnt."
Firefighters, with two fire engines, and Baruipur police district cops reached the spot.