Relatives of at least 23 workers killed in a blast at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu's Virudhunagar district are awaiting DNA tests to identify their bodies. Forensic experts are investigating the explosion that occurred on Sunday.
The blast ripped through the Vanaja Fireworks veranda around 3:30 pm as workers were handling raw materials and finishing firecrackers. At least three rooms of the unit were reduced to rubble, and adjacent structures were levelled under the impact of the blast.
An official said 19 women and four men were killed in the tragedy. A fire service person was seriously injured in a second explosion at the factory.
The owner of the firecracker manufacturing unit is absconding, and police have formed special teams to trace him. Firecracker manufacturing units are a major source of income for the people in the region.
