Explosion in West Bengal, India.
Image Credit: mumbaimirror.com
On Thursday morning, authorities reported an explosion in a recycling factory located at Malda in north Bengal. A fire ensued after the explosion. Five people lost their lives, while fifteen were critically injured and were taken straight to the hospital.
The Chief Secretary of West Bengal, Alapan Bandyopadhyay said to reporters:
Efforts are being made so that family members of the dead receive a compensation of Rs2 lakh at the earliest. The injured will get a compensation of Rs50,000. The situation is being monitored from the state secretariat at Nabanna.
Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay.
The chief minister Mamata Banerjee has called on Firhad Hakim, a state urban development minister to head to the area in a helicopter. He was expected to reach the area by evening local time.
The bodies of the dead have yet to be identified as the bodies were charred. The injured were quickly taken to the hospital. The superintendent of police of Malda, Alok Rajoria said,
While four persons died on the spot; one succumbed later in the hospital. The preliminary investigation revealed that the explosion took place because of some fault in the machines. A forensic team is on its way.
Police Superintendent Alok Rajoria.
People living in the vicinity reported a massive explosion at 11am. Around 20 workers were working at the recycling factory at the time of the explosion. The factory used to recycle plastic, brass and iron.
A local resident, Sohurul Biswas, described his experience of the massive explosion.
The explosion was so powerful that people staying at least two kilometres away could also hear the noise. Not only did the walls of the factory collapse and its roof blow off, but a few houses in its vicinity were also damaged.
Local Resident.
Police are currently searching for the owner of the factory, while they are investigating the cause of the explosion. Some locals claimed that crude bombs were being stored in the factory.
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