Massive explosion at Tamil Nadu firecracker factory kills at least 13

At least 13 people have been killed in a massive explosion at a firecracker manufacturing factory in Virudhunagar district of India's Tamil Nadu state. The accident occurred on Sunday, April 19, Indian media outlet NDTV has reported.

Local police said at least 30 workers were engaged in daily production at the factory in the Kattanapatti area of Virudhunagar at the time of the explosion.

The explosion was so powerful that at least four rooms of the factory collapsed. Locals claimed the sound of the blast was heard from nearly 10 kilometres away.

Fire and rescue teams from nearby towns including Sivakasi, Sattur and Virudhunagar rushed to the spot and began rescue operations immediately after the incident. It took more than an hour to bring the fire under control.

Authorities fear that several more people may be trapped under the debris. The injured have been rescued and admitted to nearby hospitals.

Initial investigations suggest the explosion may have been caused by friction while mixing chemical substances.

Police have filed a case and launched an investigation to determine whether safety regulations were followed at the factory.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin have expressed deep grief over the incident.