Virudhunagar: At least five people lost their lives and five others sustained injuries in a powerful explosion at a firecracker factory in Chinnakamanpatti near Sivakasi on Tuesday, according to the Virudhunagar District Police.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with continuous bursts of firecrackers being heard from inside the factory. The injured were rushed to a hospital in Virudhunagar, and fire and emergency services responded promptly to the scene.
Notably, Sivakasi is known as the "Fireworks Capital of India" and is a major hub for the match industry and printing. The entire Virudhunagar district has a substantial presence of these industries.
This tragic incident comes just a day after a reactor blast in a pharmaceutical plant in Telangana claimed 34 lives and destroyed structures nearby. The cause of the explosion in Sivakasi remains unknown, and an investigation is underway.