Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu:
Three persons were charred to death and an equal number suffered burns on Friday in a fire mishap at an illegal cottage fireworks unit, barely three weeks after a devastating blaze in a cracker unit claimed 39 lives.
The mishap occurred at a cracker manufacturing unit in Vijayakarisalkulam near Sivakasi, police said.
Police said crackers were being made in a house without permission. The authorities have intensified checking of fireworks units for strict adherence to the government norms and guidelines following the September 5 fire.
As per rules, even storing chemicals used for manufacturing crackers was not allowed inside any house, official sources said.
The injured had been admitted to hospital, police said.