Industrial accidents are common in India, often due to poor adherence to safety regulations and weak enforcement. On Sunday, a blaze broke out at a firecracker factory in southern India, killing at least 20 people and injuring six others, police said.
Local police chief N Shreenatha confirmed that “20 people are dead” after the incident at a licensed factory in Tamil Nadu state’s Virudhunagar district. Rescuers were still operating at the site, he said, adding that the cause of the blaze was unknown.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the deeply distressing incident. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin expressed immense sorrow over the tragic deaths.
Industrial accidents are not uncommon in India; a recent explosion at a power plant in central India killed more than 20 people, and another fire at a fireworks factory in western India killed 17 people last month.