5 killed in explosion at Sivakasi factory

At least five people were killed and six injured in an explosion at a fireworks factory near Sivakasi in the district on Thursday, police said. More than ten sheds where chemicals had been stored were razed to the ground in the incident, the second such incident this month in a cracker manufacturing unit in this region, the country’s fireworks hub. Fire and rescue service teams battled the blaze in the unit at Kalayar Kurichi, police said, adding the injured were rushed to hospitals. The cause of the explosion was not immediately known. More than 20 people had died and around 30 injured in a major explosion in a fireworks unit at Acchankulam village near Sattur in this district on February 2. The firecracker factory is owned by one Thangaraj Pandian in Kalaiyarkurici village near Sivakasi. More than 50 people are believed to work there. According to ANI, the plant is licensed to manufacture crackers.