- By Priyanka Koul
- Sat, 18 Jul 2026 11:46 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
- At least five workers critically injured, hospitalized.
- Furnace explosion at sponge iron factory in Jamuria.
- Rescue operations are ongoing, but the full extent of casualties is yet to be determined due to high temperatures.
At least five workers were seriously injured after a massive explosion occurred at a sponge iron factory in West Bengal's West Bardhaman district late Friday night. The blast was triggered by the explosion of a furnace, which sparked a fire inside the factory.
The incident took place late Friday night in Jamuria, and the explosion was heard from nearly a kilometre away.
According to the preliminary investigation, a fire broke out inside the factory immediately after the blast. Upon receiving information about the incident, police and fire brigade teams rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation.
An official said that five workers have been rescued so far and admitted to different hospitals in critical condition. It is not yet clear how many more people were near the furnace at the time of the explosion.
A senior police officer said the furnace explosion triggered a fire inside the factory, prompting a large-scale rescue operation by the police and fire services.
"Search operations inside the unit cannot begin until the temperature is brought down and the area is declared safe," said Jamuria Police Station's Officer-in-Charge Soumendra Singh Thakur.