9 dead, several injured in explosion at firecracker factory in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore

At least nine people were killed and five others injured after an explosion in a firecracker factory in Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore on Friday.

The injured persons have been taken to hospital, news agency Associated Press quoted police officer Pandiyan as saying.

The police has also launched a probe to ascertain the cause of explosion, which has completely damaged the building. The factory is located in Kattumannarkoil area of Cuddalore district, 190km away from state capital Chennai.

Fireworks manufacturing is a big business in India, with firecrackers often used in festivals and weddings. Many illegal factories with little safety precautions produce firecrackers that are cheaper to buy than legally made ones.

In September last year, a large explosion at a fireworks factory killed 22 people in Batala, a town in northern Punjab state, about 460 kilometers (285 miles) north of New Delhi.