8 Killed in Firecracker Factory Explosion in India

An explosion occurred at a fireworks factory in southern India today, Saturday, killing eight people and injuring several others.

There was no immediate word on the cause of the explosion in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu state. Authorities told the Press Trust of India news agency that nearby houses and shops were also damaged.

Rescuers, police, and firefighters rushed to the site.

India has a huge demand for fireworks, which are used on religious holidays and weddings. There are fatal accidents almost every year as people work in makeshift factories in the absence of proper safety standards.

In 2018, a massive fire at a fireworks factory in the capital, New Delhi, killed 17 workers. A year ago, 23 workers were killed when an explosion occurred while they were making firecrackers in a village in Madhya Pradesh state, central India.

Factories started making fireworks months before the country's biggest Hindu festival when people set them off to celebrate.