Big fire in Barrackpore paint factory, 20 fire engines fighting it out

Today, a deafening series of explosions shattered the morning calm in Barrackpore's Ishwaripur area where a paint manufacturing factory quickly escalated into a massive inferno, with flames leaping skyward and shockwaves rattling windows around the factory area. Eyewitnesses described a scene of massive plumes of thick smokes from the site with repeated explosions. At least 20 fire engines from the Barrackpore sub-division rushed to the spot.

Local authorities have issued evacuation alerts for nearby residents, citing risks from toxic fumes and potential further explosions poses an ongoing threat of secondary explosions.The fire, which broke out around today morning appears to have originated from a spark in the chemical mixing unit, though investigations are underway to pinpoint the exact cause amid the chaos. Workers inside the factory at the time of ignition recounted their escapes, with some sustaining minor burns and smoke inhalation issues as they fled the collapsing structure during the incident. Firefighters have been battling the blaze for hours to suppress the flames, but the sheer volume of combustible materials has turned the site into a raging furnace.

Roads leading to Ishwaripur area have been cordoned off, and traffic snarls are rippling through Barrackpore, disrupting the morning commute. As per latest update, no confirmed casualties yet but several workers unaccounted for amid the rubble. This incident underscores the vulnerabilities in industrial safety protocols in densely populated suburbs like Barrackpore, where chemical plants operates adjacently with residential zones