Explosion in Tamil Nadu's firecracker factory, 6 people die, many injured in Virudhunagar

Chennai: Six people have died in an explosion in a firecracker factory in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu. Many people have been injured in the accident. This accident took place in a firecracker factory located in Sattur area of ​​Virudhunagar district. Six factory workers are among the dead.

4 rooms collapsed after the explosion

According to media reports, there were four rooms in the factory, which collapsed after the explosion. After the information, the fire brigade reached the spot and admitted some injured to the hospital. 

This firecracker factory is located in Bommayapuram village of Appanaickenpatti Panchayat, which is run by a person named Balaji. This accident happened when the factory was running and the workers were busy in their regular work. 

The deceased have been identified as Velmurugan, Nagaraj, Kannan, Kamaraj, Shivakumar and Meenakshi Sundaram, who died in the explosion. Apart from this, another person has been admitted to the government hospital in Virudhunagar in critical condition.

According to the police, the number of victims is likely to rise as the condition of several injured people remains critical.

The fire department has extinguished the blaze and is currently engaged in rescue operations, officials said.

While the exact cause of the explosion has not been identified, cops suspect a power leakage or friction between explosives during the preparation of firecrackers may have triggered it.

Compensation announced

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed his condolences over the loss of lives. He also announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the families of the victims.

Last year, Virudhunagar witnessed 17 accidents in the firecracker factories, killing at least 54 people. In September, Stalin visited the area and urged fireworks factory owners to take safety measures to prevent such accidents.

The fireworks industry reportedly employs nearly four lakh workers across 1,150 factories in Virudhunagar, with Sivakasi alone accounting for 70 per cent of India's firecracker production.