Chennai: Five workers lost their lives and 13 others received serious injuries in the Madurai firecracker factory explosion. The incident occuered at a private fireworks factory near Usilambatti in Madurai district on Thursday. A bomb detection and disposal team visited the site.

The police said a preliminary probe revealed that the fire broke out when the workers were engaged in mixing highly inflammable chemicals for making fancy varieties of crackers and this triggered a series of explosions.

The explosion was so huge that bodies were blown to pieces and the dismembered bodies were beyond recognition. The injured have been rushed to Government Rajaji Hospital where the condition of few workers was stated to be critical.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the family members of the deceased. He also directed the officials to give special treatment to the injured people in the incident.

“I was deeply saddened to hear the news that five people died in a sudden explosion today in a Firecrackers factory operating in the village near Tirumangalam in Madurai district,” said CM Stalin.

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At least 5 killed, several injured in firecracker blast at a factory in Madurai. Rescue operations are underway. @gautyou #News9SouthDesk pic.twitter.com/8G2kOlLtzK
— RAMKUMAR R (@imjournalistRK) November 10, 2022