A blaze at a fireworks factory in southern India on Wednesday killed at least 30 people after triggering a mass explosion of firecrackers in several packed warehouses.
Firefighter Shanmugaraju, who spoke from the scene, described a “huge explosion” as the factory went up in flames in Sivakasi, which is the centre of the Indian fireworks industry some 700 kilometres (430 miles) from state capital Chennai.
“Thirty bodies have already been found. Some were factory workers, most of them were local villagers,” said Shanmugaraju, who like many people in the region only uses one name.
He told AFP that local people had walked towards the Om Sivasakthi plant after the fire broke out and were then caught up in the carnage.
Officials at two local hospitals confirmed to AFP that they had taken in 30 corpses as well as many badly burned survivors.
“We have already registered 40 injured patients,” administrator in the Sivakasi government hospital, Venkatalakshmi, told AFP.
“We have very limited accommodation here for patients. Already our burns ward is full.”
Sivakasi, which is home to some 700 fireworks factories, is running at peak production ahead of the forthcoming festival season which includes Diwali, the festival of lights which Indians celebrate by letting off firecrackers.
