15 killed in explosion in India fireworks factory

The death toll in Friday's explosion inside a fireworks factory in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu has risen to 15, reported Xinhua, quoting officials.

Thirty people injured in the explosion are undergoing treatment at different hospitals.

The explosion took place at Acchankulam village in Virudhunagar district, about 484 km southwest of Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu.

"Today an explosion took place inside a fireworks factory here which has caused many casualties. The injured have been removed to different hospitals and are being provided with treatment," Virudhunagar collector R Kannan told Xinhua. "The rescue teams are on ground carrying out searches in the debris."

According to disaster management officials, so far 15 people have been killed.

"As of now, 15 people have got killed in the explosion. The number of injured in the explosion is 30," said an official in charge of disaster management office in Virudhunagar. "It was a licensed factory."

Officials said the death toll is likely to increase owing to the critical condition of some of the injured.

The explosion also triggered fire inside the factory.

As per local reports, firecrackers were stored in close to six rooms at the factory and the rooms caught fire one after another leading to multiple blasts and a huge fire.

Authorities have rushed firefighters and fire tenders, besides police and disaster management teams to the spot to carry out rescue work.

Officials said 100 people work in the factory and only 50 were present inside it at the time of the explosion.

Local reports said more than half of the workers had gone for a lunch break when the explosion took place at 1:30 p.m. local time.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the deaths in the explosion.

"Fire at a firecracker factory in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu is saddening. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I hope those injured recover soon. Authorities are working on the ground to assist those affected," Modi in a statement said.

He has also announced a monetary relief for the victims from Prime Minister's National Relief Fund.

"An ex-gratia of INR 200,000 (2,752 U.S. dollars) each has been approved from PMNRF for the next of kin of those who have lost their lives due to a fire in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu. INR 50,000 (688 U.S. dollars) would be given to those seriously injured," Modi said.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami has also expressed grief over the incident and also announced a monetary relief of 4,127 U.S. dollars to each family that lost a member and 1,375 U.S. dollars to each of the injured in the explosion.

Authorities have ordered an investigation into the explosion.

Though the cause of the explosion was not immediately known, reports suggest friction during mixing of combustible chemicals might have triggered it.

In India, firecrackers are set off during festivals, weddings and other celebrations.