Blast at West Bengal Sponge Iron Factory Injures Five, Several Feared Trapped
A furnace explosion at a sponge iron factory in West Bengal's Paschim Bardhaman district has left at least five workers injured, with locals fearing that eight to ten more may be trapped inside. The incident occurred late on Friday (July 17, 2026) in Jamuria, and the blast was heard from nearly a kilometre away.
Senior police officer Soumendra Singh Thakur, Officer-in-Charge of Jamuria Police Station, stated that five workers have been rescued and shifted to hospitals in critical condition. He added that search operations cannot begin until the temperature around the furnace decreases and the area is declared safe.
The explosion triggered a fire inside the factory, prompting a large-scale rescue operation by police and fire services. Another police officer noted that the temperature around the furnace rose to several degrees Celsius after the blast, complicating rescue efforts.
Local residents reported that nearby houses developed cracks due to the impact of the explosion. Local BJP leader Deep Bandopadhyay questioned the safety standards at the plant, alleging that no representative of the factory management or security personnel was present after the accident. He claimed that workers were forced to labour under unsafe conditions and demanded a comprehensive investigation.
Meanwhile, local MLA Bijan Mukhopadhyay arranged ambulances to ensure the injured were taken to hospitals without delay. The exact number of workers inside the factory at the time of the explosion remains unclear. Authorities are awaiting the cooling of the blast site to begin search and rescue operations.
