At least six workers have been killed in a deadly explosion at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, news agency PTI reported on Saturday. The explosion is suspected to have taken place while workers were mixing chemicals. The room inside the factory had collapsed due to the explosion.
The fire and rescue department has quickly reached the spot to survey the situation and help in the recovery process. The authorities have not confirmed the cause of the explosion, but the dangerous nature of the materials in the fireworks unit is being questioned.
LPG Tanker Turns Over In Coimbatore
This tragedy comes just hours after another major incident in Tamil Nadu. On Friday morning, a Liquefied Petroleum Gas tanker overturned on the Avinashi Road flyover in Coimbatore, with a minor gas leak.
Tamil Nadu | An explosion took place at a firecracker manufacturing factory in the Sattur area of Virudhunagar district. Details awaited: Fire & Rescue Department Officials
— ANI (@ANI) January 4, 2025
Coimbatore district collector Kranthi Kumar Pati said the tanker carrying 18 tonnes of LPG detached from the truck while the driver was making a turn at the flyover’s roundabout. There were no casualties and the leak was doused in no time.
Traffic Disrupted and Schools Closed
The accident caused temporary disruption in traffic as authorities blocked access to the flyover to ensure safety. In response to the potential risks, schools located within a 500-meter to one-kilometer radius of the accident site were instructed to close for the day.
The authorities reacted fast. Police and fire services reached the scene immediately to contain any further damage. Water was sprinkled on the overturned tanker to contain the situation. The tanker was traveling from Kerala’s Kochi to a bottling plant at Coimbatore run by BPCL.
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