Chennai: At least 15 people have died and many were injured in an explosion at a firecracker factory in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district, around 500 kilometers from Chennai. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the blast.
“Fire at a firecracker factory in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu is saddening. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I hope those injured recover soon. Authorities are working on the ground to assist those affected,” he tweeted.
Fire at a firecracker factory in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu is saddening. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. I hope those injured recover soon. Authorities are working on the ground to assist those affected: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 12, 2021
The explosion took place at around 1.30 pm on February 12.
An officer from the local fire department told NDTV: “Friction during mixing of chemicals appears to have caused the explosion”.
Ten fire-fighting units from various locations were rushed to the spot to douse the fire, news agency PTI reported.
Source: ndtv.com