The owner of the firework manufacturing factory has been arrested, where four persons were killed in an explosion in West Begnal’s 24 Parganas North district on late Friday night, police said on Saturday.
Four persons, including two women, were killed and one person was seriously injured. Their bodies were recovered from the spot at Naihati. They were all employees of the unit.
According to the eyewitnesses, there was a loud explosion followed by the fire.
Three fire tenders managed to control the situation after an hour-long effort. Another person with severe burn injury has been hospitalised. A forensic team came to the spot and collected samples.
Locals said many fire crackers were made illegally in the factory, for which a large amount of explosive materials were stocked.
Noor Hossain, owner of the factory, has been arrested from Amdanga area in the district on Friday night and a suo motu case of accidental murder along with other sections has been registered against him, a senior police officer said.
“We are interrogating Noor Hossain,” the officer said, adding that a forensic team will visit the explosion site on Saturday.
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar earlier in the day sought a probe into the explosion, saying the administration should be held accountable as there are allegations that crude bombs were being manufactured in the factory.