9 Killed in Illegal Firecracker Factory Blast in West Bengal

Kolkata: The toll in the explosion at an illegal firecracker factory in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas on Sunday reached nine. One person was arrested in connection with the blast.

The headless body was recovered from a pond on Monday while the head was found in the courtyard of a neighbouring house. One hand and two fingers were also found in the adjoining areas of the explosion site. These hinted at the intensity of the blast.

The person arrested in connection with the blast was booked under the Explosives Act 1884 and Explosives Rules 2008. He was the business partner of the man who ran the illegal firecracker unit.

The explosion in the illegal firecracker factory took place at around 8:30 AM on Sunday when people were working in the factory.

Over 50 houses in the neighbourhood were partially damaged and body parts of people were found on the terraces of several buildings.

Twelve people were killed in a similar explosion at an illegal firecracker factory in Purba Medinipur district’s Egra in May while three died in another explosion in Maheshtala in South 24 Parganas district.