West Bengal Khardah Dye Factory Fire: A massive fire broke out at a dye factory early Tuesday morning at Ishwaripur in Khardah, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal. Twenty fire engines were rushed to the densely populated area to prevent the blaze from spreading, but three adjacent factories were completely gutted.
Panic spread in the area as the fire rapidly intensified due to chemicals stored inside the factory. Residents said they heard loud explosions from within, which shook the area and sent them running to safety. Thick black smoke covered the surroundings, and nearby residential buildings were evacuated.
According to the fire department, preliminary reports suggest that since it was Diwali and Kali Puja night, no one was trapped inside the factory. The cause of the fire remains unclear, though residents claimed it may have been triggered by firecrackers burst late into the night.
VIDEO | West Bengal: Fire breaks out in a chemical factory in North 24 Parganas. More details are awaited.
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Police sources said the fire broke out around 4:30 am, following which police and fire brigade teams were immediately informed.
“We have curbed the fire. Three factories were affected; the matter is under investigation,” said ADG (Fire) Abhijit Pandey.
A senior officer of Khardah police station said, “There were a lot of chemicals in stock as it is a dye factory, which is why the fire spread quickly. The neighbouring T-shirt making factory has also caught fire. Explosions were heard from inside the factory.”
“We have also brought in foam to help control the fire,” said a fire brigade official.
Residents alleged that several such factories have come up in the area without proper checks or fire safety measures. One resident said, “Suddenly, we heard explosions. At first, we thought it was chocolate bombs, but then someone screamed ‘fire, fire’. We saw flames rising from the factory and spreading very fast. We rushed out of the building.”
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Another resident added, “Many such factories have come up in the area and no checks are made. It is very risky because local residents get affected — the surrounding buildings will get affected too.”
