Kolkata, 1 April

The death toll from the gas cylinder blast at a house at Dholahat in West Bengal's Pathar Pratima has risen to eight after one more person succumbed to injuries on Tuesday morning, police said.

The explosion triggered a massive fire, which was intensified by the presence of stacked firecrackers inside the house, they added.

The incident sparked a political war of words, with the BJP demanding a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe, while the TMC dismissed these claims, stating that police are already investigating and the state government has a "zero-tolerance" policy towards such incidents.

Victim Sutapa Jana, who had suffered 75 per cent burns, died at the SSKM Hospital on Tuesday morning.

The blast, which took place on Monday night, initially claimed the lives of seven people, including four children. They are Prabhabati Banik, 80, Arabinda Banik, 65, Swantana Banik, 28, Arnab Banik, 9 ,Anushka Banik , 6, and six-month-old twins Asmita and Ankit Banik.

Chandrakanta Banik and his brother Tushar Banik, the two other members of the family, have been accused of being involved in illegal manufacture of firecrackers.

ADG (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar said investigation was still underway.

"We are finding out whether Chandrakanta and Tushar had proper license for manufacturing or storing firecrackers. We have filed cases under relevant sections," he said.

Sarkar emphasised the need for greater awareness among those involved in firecracker manufacturing industry.

"There is a need for public awareness regarding it. We will hold a meeting with those involved in the industry and ask them not to keep firecrackers piled up in residential areas," he said.

Police have filed cases of storing dangerous materials at the house. The charges include unintentional murder and violations of fire safety regulations.

Earlier in the day, Sunderbans SP Koteswara Rao said the explosion was caused by a gas cylinder and clarified that no firecracker manufacturing unit was operational inside the house.

"(To suggest) that there was a firecracker manufacturing unit running inside the house is wrong. It was a residential building... No firecracker unit was operating there," he told PTI.

Rao said investigation is ongoing to determine whether some items found in the house were raw materials for manufacturing firecrackers.

Locals and witnesses have disputed police's claim, alleging that the site contained materials for making firecrackers and explosives.

Eyewitnesses reported finding drums filled with firecracker explosives near the house.

The explosion occurred at a two-storey house where 11 family members were residing.

Chandrakanta Banik had been arrested a few years ago for a similar offence involving the illegal sale and storage of firecrackers but was later released.

Police are examining whether the materials found at the scene were linked to manufacturing firecrackers.

Governor CV Ananda Bose expressed his condolences to the victims' families and assured measures would be taken to prevent such incidents.

"Accidents are not accidental. There is human failure behind it. The primary responsibility to enforce safety laws lies with the government," he said.

The Governor also mentioned that he might visit Pathar Pratima after further reviewing the situation.

BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar raised concerns about illegal bomb-making factories, saying, "The entire South 24 Parganas is sitting on a pile of gunpowder, thanks to the mushrooming illegal bomb-making factories run by Jihadis, with blessings of the TMC."

Majumdar added that he would write to the Union Home Ministry, requesting an NIA probe.

Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari also raised suspicions, alleging that the house was a "crude bomb manufacturing unit."

He posted on X, "How many more tragedies will take place before serious action is taken? The DGP @WBPolice must answer why the State of West Bengal is sitting on a pile of crude bombs? Absolutely no accountability for such incidents in WB. The inefficient Police Minister Mamata Banerjee is to be blamed for allowing this to happen."

TMC MLA from Pathar Pratima, Samir Kumar Jana, said the Banik family had an authorised firecracker manufacturing unit a few meters away from the house.

"They were running the business for quite some time, and I have information they had the license. Last night, the blast took place in their house. Probably they had stored some raw materials for firecracker production there, leading to this disaster," he said.

TMC state vice-president Jaiprakash Majumdar said police are investigating the incident and emphasised that the state government has zero tolerance toward such negligence.

Police have filed charges under several sections of the BNS, including Section 287 (dealing with negligent conduct involving fire or combustible materials), Section 288 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substances), Section 110 (deals with culpable homicide), and Section 125 (endangerment through rash or negligent actions).

Additional charges have been filed under The West Bengal Fire Services Act.

On 12 February, 2025, four people, including women, died in a massive explosion at an illegal firecracker factory in Kalyani Rathtala, Nadia district.

In May 2023, 11 people died in an explosion at an illegal firecracker factory in Purba Medinipur's Egra, and in August 2023, an explosion in Duttapukur, North 24 Parganas, claimed seven lives.