Uluberia: Illegal stock of firecrackers in house explodes due to improper storage

Kolkata: A day after three children died in a firecracker blast, another explosion took place at a house in Uluberia, Howrah, due to the improper storage of a large quantity of firecrackers. Fortunately, no injuries or casualties were reported, but several nearby houses were damaged as a result of the blast.

The incident occurred around 1 am at Tantiberia under Uluberia Police Station. According to police officials, the house belonged to Shyamal Kumar Mandal. Preliminary investigations revealed that Mandal was illegally storing a large amount of firecrackers improperly in his residence, resulting in an explosion. Mandal was initially detained by the police and later arrested.

Locals reported hearing the sound of the blast, which severely damaged the house and caused broken glass windows and structural cracks in nearby homes. The incident created panic among the residents.

“We found an illegal stock of firecrackers in the house, stored for sale. Further investigation is underway,” stated Swati Bhangalia, Superintendent of Police (SP), Howrah Rural District Police.

A specific case has been initiated against the accused homeowner under Section 288 (Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 24 (Penalty for letting off rockets, etc.), 25 (Penalty on householders for allowing rockets, etc., to let off without a license) and 26 (Penalty for not taking out a license for a warehouse or workshop) of the West Bengal Fire Service Act.

Last Friday, in Gangarampur of Uluberia, three children aged five, six and twelve died in an explosion and a 19-year-old girl was injured. According to police and local sources, a spark from cracking fireworks fell into the fireworks stocked in a house for sale during Kali Puja and Diwali, triggering the explosion.

The fire also spread to a grocery store owned by the house owner.