Explosion at fireworks factory in Tamil Nadu claims ten lives

INDIA: Tragedy struck a private fireworks factory unit in Kundayiruppu near Sattur, Tamil Nadu, as an explosion ripped through the factory premises, claiming the lives of ten workers and leaving three others severely injured on Saturday (17 Feb).

The incident, which destroyed five buildings at the Winner Fireworks unit, has sent shockwaves through the Virudhunagar district.

Authorities reported that nine individuals succumbed to their injuries on-site, while another victim was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Sivakasi government hospital.

The three injured workers admitted to the Virudhunagar and Sivakasi government hospitals, are said to be in critical condition due to severe burn injuries.

Responding swiftly to the emergency, rescue, and fire service personnel from Vembakottai and Sivakasi rushed to the scene to extinguish the flames engulfing the factory premises.

The incident again highlights the precarious safety standards prevalent in many industrial units across India.

Factory accidents, often caused by negligence and lax safety measures, continue to claim numerous lives across the country.

This calamity echoes similar recent tragedies. Just earlier this month, eleven labourers lost their lives, and approximately 150 individuals sustained injuries in a massive fire that erupted at a paint factory in central India.

Additionally, another eight individuals were killed, and 80 were injured in Madhya Pradesh due to a blast at a fireworks factory.

India has a history of industrial mishaps, with one of the deadliest fires occurring in Haryana in 1985, where 442 people, including 258 children, perished in a school blaze.