Two killed, 8 injured in explosion in firecracker factory

Chennai: Two people were killed and eight others injured in an explosion at a private firecracker factory in Tamil Nadu’s Ariyalur district. The incident took place at Vetriyur Viragalur under Keelapalur police station area of the district. The blast occurred at around 9.30 in the morning.

Police said there was a massive explosion and bodies of two people have been recovered so far. Eight other people working in the factory were injured. The deceased have not been identified yet.

The blast in Ariyalur comes after a major blast in Attibele near the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, in which 14 people were killed.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin had announced a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to the families of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.

This is the fourth explosion in a firecracker factory in Tamil Nadu in the last three months. In July nine people were killed in a fireworks warehouse in Krishnagiri district and in September an explosion in Nagapattinam district killed one person and injured three.

Four people were killed and four others injured in an explosion at a firecracker unit in Mayiladuthurai district of Tamil Nadu during the last week of September.
(IANS).