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Six people died and many more were injured in an explosion at a fireworks factory in Tamil Nadu on Saturday morning. The incident took place in the Virudhunagar district, where majority of the state's firecracker factories are located.
According to the police, the number of victims is likely to rise as the condition of several injured people remains critical, reported news agency IANS.
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.
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.