Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief on Thursday over the loss of lives in an explosion at a firecracker factory near Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. "Anguished by the loss of lives due to a mishap at a factory in Sivakasi. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray that those who have been injured recover at the earliest," PM Modi wrote on X.
Eight people died in an explosion at a fireworks factory near Sivakasi, with 12 others suffering burns and three critically injured, according to police reports. The victims included five female workers and three male workers, and seven factory rooms were destroyed. The incident took place at Sri Sudharshan Fireworks in Virudhnagar district, where officials suspect friction during chemical handling caused the explosion, as per an NDTV report.
Sivakasi, known as India's "fireworks capital," has witnessed a series of fatal explosions. Last month, three men died in an explosion at a stone quarry. In October 2023, around 27 people were killed in less than two weeks due to explosions. Experts have urged the state government to conduct safety audits in Sivakasi due to the rising number of fatal incidents. As of now, no arrests have been made regarding the recent explosion.