Death toll rises to 25 in Tamil Nadu firecracker factory explosion

At least 25 people have died in a devastating explosion at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Kattanarpatti, officials said on Monday, as rescue and identification efforts continued amid mounting anger from victims’ families.

The blast ripped through the Vanaja Firecracker Factory on Sunday, a facility owned by Muthu Manickam of Govindanallur and operating with a valid licence issued by the revenue divisional officer. According to preliminary findings, more than 30 workers were inside the unit at the time, engaged in routine production work.

Investigators said the explosion was likely triggered by friction during the manufacturing process, which caused highly combustible materials to ignite. The force of the blast destroyed at least four rooms of the factory, while the sound was heard up to 10 kilometres away, highlighting the scale of the incident.

Rescue teams initially recovered 23 charred bodies from the site. The toll rose to 25 on Monday after two injured women — identified as Panchavarnam and Pechiammal — succumbed to their injuries at the Virudhunagar Government Medical College Hospital. More than a dozen others remain under treatment.

Police have registered a case against the factory operators, Easwari and her husband Muthumanickam, under multiple sections of the law based on a complaint filed by the unit’s administrative officer. The couple is currently absconding, and four special teams have been formed to trace them.

Of the deceased, 21 bodies have been identified and post-mortem examinations completed, while efforts are underway to establish the identities of the remaining victims. Tensions prevailed at the site after relatives refused to accept the bodies, demanding that the promised compensation of Rs 5 lakh be paid via demand draft rather than cheque.

More than 50 police personnel have been deployed in and around the area to maintain order as authorities continue their investigation into one of the deadliest industrial accidents in the region in recent years.

With IANS inputs