CHENNAI, India — At least 25 people have been killed and several others injured in a powerful explosion at a fireworks manufacturing facility in India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu, authorities said. The blast occurred at the Vanaja Fireworks Industry in Virudhunagar on Sunday evening. The factory was supposed to be closed but about 50 workers were inside at the time, officials said. A second explosion occurred while rescue operations were on, injuring 13 more people, though none sustained serious burns, District Collector NO Sukhaputra told ANI news agency. The cause of the blast is not yet known and an investigation is under way. A senior fire and rescue official said the explosion happened at approximately 3:30 p.m., reportedly originating from the front veranda where workers were handling raw materials and conducting final preparations of fireworks. The force of the blast destroyed at least three rooms and severely damaged several nearby structures. During ongoing rescue operations, a secondary explosion triggered panic at the site, leaving one firefighter seriously injured. Condolences have poured in from top officials, including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin. Modi described the accident as “deeply distressing” and offered condolences to the families of those killed. Stalin said the deaths had caused “immense sorrow” and that he had instructed officials to ensure all necessary assistance. The tragedy comes just days after a similar explosion in the Vembakottai area of the same district, which claimed four lives, raising fresh concerns over safety standards in the region’s fireworks industry. Rescue operations were significantly slowed down as firecrackerscontinued to explode inside the building. A complaint has been filed against the factory owner and foreman, both of whom are absconding, police said, adding that four special teams have been set up to trace and arrest them. Meanwhile, efforts to identify the victims continued on Monday. District officials said that 22 of the 25 dead had been identified so far – most of them are women. Some reports say the force of the blast left several bodies charred beyond recognition. Accidents at fireworks factories in India are not uncommon.The industry supplies firecrackers for weddings, festivals and other ceremonies and has faced repeated scrutiny over safety standards. — Agencies
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