Ludhiana, April 26 -- An explosion in a steel factory in Bishanpura village near Doraha left seven women injured on Saturday, police said. Two of them are said to be critical. The incident triggered panic in the area as thick plumes of smoke could be seen billowing into the sky.

The fire spread rapidly, making it difficult for workers to escape and for initial responders to contain the flames. According to officials, a firefighting operation was underway at the time of filing this report, with more than 50 fire tenders deployed to douse the blaze.

Inspector Akash Dutt, station house officer of Doraha, who was at the spot, said the reason behind the explosion remained unclear. "We are focusing on rescue and containment. The cause will be...