NEW DELHI, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- At least 20 people have been injured in a fire at a cracker factory in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal Monday, officials said.
"The fire broke out this morning at the factory at Amdanga in the state's North 24 Parganas district. Some 20 workers sustained injuries in the incident," a senior police official said.
The injured have been admitted to a local hospital where the condition of some are said to be critical, the official said.
More than 50 workers were in the factory at the time of the fire and they were all rescued by fire firefighters who took nearly two hours to douse the flames.
"Some eight fire tenders were pressed into service and they managed to contain the flames. They are now looking for anyone trapped inside the factory," a fire official said.
A case has been registered against the factory owner for negligence, the police official said. "He is currently absconding but will soon be arrested," he added.
The incident came less than 12 hours after another fire at an illegal fireworks factory in the neighboring state of Jharkhand claimed the lives of eight people and injured 25 others.
Every year, many people are killed in fire in illegal fireworks factories in India that occur because of lack of safety norms.
