7 killed in Tamil Nadu fireworks factory blast

Seven people were killed and two others suffered grievous injuries after an explosion inside a firecracker factory in Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore district. All the deceased are women, including the factory owner Gandhimathi, the police said. Chief Minister K Palaniswami expressed condolences to the bereaved families and announced a solatium of Rs 200,000 each to the kin of the deceased. The factory is located in Kattumannarkoil town of the district, 190 km from the state capital Chennai. The intensity of the blast was such that it completely damaged and brought down the structure. Police and firefighters were rushed to the accident site and a probe has been launched to find out what caused the explosion. While five women died at the spot, four others were rescued from the debris by locals and rushed to the hospital. Of them, two succumbed to the injuries at the hospital, and two others are undergoing treatment.