NEW DELHI, July 26 (Xinhua) -- At least one person was killed and 11 others injured Friday in a blast inside a steel factory in northern Indian state of Punjab, police said.

The blast went off inside the furnace of the factory in village Jhabewal in Ludhiana, about 100 km west of Chandigarh, the capital city of Punjab.

"Today a blast took place inside a steel factory here that deals in remodelling hot iron," a police official said. "One laborer was killed and 11 others injured in the blast."

Reports said all the victims were migrant laborers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh working in the factory.

"The injured have been admitted at civil hospital, Ludhiana and few were referred to GMCH Patiala," the official said.

Following the blast top officials of police rushed to the spot to investigate the matter.