India: 15 killed, 30 injured in fireworks factory fire

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) – At least 15 people were killed and more than 30 others injured when a massive fire erupted in a fireworks factory in southern India on Friday afternoon, an official said.

The incident took place in Tamil Nadu state’s Virudhunagar district, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the state’s capital Chennai.

A senior district administrative officer R. Kannan told Anadolu Agency that out of 47 people trapped inside the factory, 15 people lost their lives, while the rest recovered. The rescue operation is over, he said.

There was an explosion that caused a fire in the factory, according to local media.

“The friction during the mixing of chemicals appears to have caused the explosion,” the local broadcaster NDTV reported, quoting a fire department official as saying.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the fire incident “saddening” and announced compensation for the deceased.