Seventeen workers suffered burns when molten iron spilled out of a ladle and fell on them after an explosion in the boiler at a sponge iron factory in Bankura’s Borjora industrial area on Tuesday morning.

Sources said the accident occurred around 11am at the blast furnace unit of the factory when workers were on the day shift.

Initially, the 17 injured workers were taken to Borjora super-speciality hospital from where 14 of them were shifted to a private hospital in nearby Durgapur after their condition deteriorated.

The condition of eight of the injured was critical. “Eight injured persons suffered almost 80 per cent burns and their condition is very critical,” said a doctor at the private hospital.

Local Trinamul Congress MLA Aloke Mukherjee rushed to the spot after the incident along with local administrative officials.

“The incident is unfortunate. We are with the injured and their family members. We have made arrangements to shift 14 of them to a private hospital for better treatment,” said Mukherjee.

Sources at the factory said the sudden explosion in the boiler triggered the incident. “The workers were working close to the boiler and the ladle when the incident occurred. They could not escape the molten iron as everything happened suddenly,” said a plant official.

However, a section of workers alleged the lack of safety measures in the factory where they were engaged in risky jobs.

“We do not get proper safety gloves and shoes on duty at the factory. The management is not bothered about our safety. Plant authorities did not carry out proper maintenance work at the factory leading to such an accident,” alleged one of the workers.

The plant management refused to comment on the charges. “This is a moment of crisis. Our focus is the injured workers. These issues will be taken up later,” said a representative.