Major fire breaks out at cracker factory in Tamil Nadu, 50 feared killed

Around 50 people were feared killed and as many people injured as a massive fire broke out at Sivakasi Fireworks factory in Tamil Nadu's Virudhunagar district on Wednesday.

According to police, about 100 others were missing even as the fire department struggled to douse the fire and prevent it from spreading to an adjoining magazine. Till last information, the fire was still on with explosions rocking the area. Ten fire tenders were trying to extinguish the fire.

Earlier, talking to Headlines Today over phone Virudhunagar SP Najmun Hooda had confirmed that the police had collected around 30 bodies from the spot and rushed many injured people to hospitals. He said the fire victims included several onlookers who had gathered at the spot after the fire broke out.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa was likely to visit the town on Thursday to meet the victims and their families.