Six workers dead in explosion at Tamil Nadu firecracker unit

THE EXPLOSION RIPPED THROUGH THE BUILDING OF THE FACTORY, FORCING THE MANAGEMENT TO IMMEDIATELY SOUND THE EMERGENCY SIREN

- Srinivasa Rao Apparasu

VIRUDHUNAGAR: Six workers were killed and another was injured in an explosion at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu on Saturday morning, officials aware of the matter said.

According to police, the explosion took place when the workers were engaged in mixing chemicals used as raw materials to manufacture firecrackers. Officials said that six men died and four rooms of the factory were flattened due to the blast's impact.

"Six people died in an explosion that took place at a firecracker manufacturing factory in the Sattur area of Virudhunagar district," South Zone Inspector General of police Anand Sinha said.

The deceased were identified as S Sivakumar (56), S Meenakshi Sundaram (46), R Nagaraj (37) and G Velmurugan (54), S Kamaraj (54) and R Kannan (54).

Another worker Mohammed Sudeen was injured in the incident and was rushed to a government facility in nearby Madurai district.

Police said that they have registered a case and are probing the incident.