23 Feared Dead, Six Injured in Massive Explosion at Tamil Nadu Firecracker Manufacturing Unit

Virudhunagar: A devastating blast tore through a firecracker manufacturing unit in Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu on Sunday, killing at least 23 workers and leaving six others with severe injuries.

The explosion struck the Vanaja fireworks factory in Kattanarpatti, falling under the jurisdiction of the Vachakarapatti police station. According to reports, the blast is believed to have been triggered in the front veranda of the facility, where workers were handling raw materials and putting finishing touches on firecrackers.

The force of the explosion was catastrophic. At least three rooms were reduced to rubble and several surrounding structures were completely levelled. Crackers continued to burst long after the initial blast, severely hampering rescue operations and raising fears that more workers could still be trapped beneath the debris.

The local media outlets reported that the death toll rose to 22. Among the six injured, three are women who have sustained burn injuries covering 60 per cent of their bodies and are in critical condition, receiving treatment at the Virudhunagar Government Medical College Hospital.

The factory, which reportedly employed over 100 labourers, is said to hold a licence from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), Nagpur. Preliminary investigations are under way to determine the exact cause of the blast.

The tragedy comes just days after a similar explosion in the Vembakottai area of the same district claimed four lives, raising fresh questions about safety standards at firecracker units across the region.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin expressed grief over the incident and announced that he had dispatched two cabinet ministers to the site. "The tragic news of the deaths of several people in the firecracker unit explosion that occurred in Kattanarpatti, Virudhunagar district, causes immense sorrow. My deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives," Stalin posted on X.

He added that he had contacted the district collector and directed him to coordinate all necessary relief and assistance. Search and rescue operations are continuing at the site.