At least 40 people are killed in a huge fire at a fire-crackers factory in Mudalipetti, near Sivakasi, in Tamil Nadu. Over 300 people are believed to have been inside the factory, Om Siva Sakthi Crackers, when the fire broke out.
All 60 rooms in the building are reported to be gutted. These include 20 rooms that stored chemicals. The fire also spread to godowns about 200 feet away. Two of three godowns in the factory have been burnt down.
Some bystanders have been injured too by sparks that flew, some were affected by the strong fumes. Those seriously injured have been taken to the government hospitals in Madurai and Virudhnagar.
Majority of the workers reportedly managed to escape the building. But there are fears that the toll could rise. So far, the firefighters have not found anyone trapped inside.
Sivakasi is India's biggest hub for the manufacture of matches and fire crackers. Work to meet the Diwali demand for crackers has been on in full swing in Sivakasi factories and factories have employees at work in full strength.
