In a shocking incident in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, four young children suffered severe burns when a drum filled with chemicals exploded near a road construction site in Canning. The tragedy unfolded on Wednesday, leaving the local community in mourning and raising serious questions about safety protocols.
The children, all aged between 8 and 10, were playing innocently by the roadside in the Ghatakpukur to Madhyakhargachi stretch when disaster struck. A 200-liter drum containing light diesel oil (LDO), left unattended amid ongoing road repairs, suddenly erupted in a massive fireball. Eyewitnesses described a deafening blast that sent shockwaves through the area, instantly engulfing the boys in flames.
Among the victims were Sadikul Mollah, Samiul Mollah, Raihan Mollah, and Riyaz Hasan Mollah, students at the local Khargachi Primary School. Overwhelmed by excruciating pain, one child desperately jumped into a nearby pond in a bid for relief. Local residents rushed to their aid, pulling them from the blaze and rushing them to Nalmuri Rural Hospital. As their conditions deteriorated, three were transferred to Kolkata’s MR Bangur Hospital, where Sadikul remains in critical condition.
The explosion occurred along a 7-kilometer unpaved road under repair for several days. Authorities, including Deputy Commissioner Saikat Ghosh of Bhengar Police Division and Trinamool MLA Saikat Molla from Canning East, arrived swiftly at the scene. A senior police officer confirmed that a thorough investigation is underway, with Kolkata Police’s bomb squad and forensic teams combing the site for clues on the blast’s cause.
Residents are furious, demanding answers on why highly flammable materials were stored openly on a public road frequented by children. ‘This was preventable,’ said one villager. ‘Roadwork or not, basic safety measures could have saved these innocent lives.’ As the children fight for recovery, the incident underscores the urgent need for stricter oversight in construction zones, especially in areas teeming with young lives.