Chennai, August 13, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Two workers were killed after a powerful explosion triggered a major fire at a licensed fireworks factory near Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district on Thursday, officials said.
The accident took place at a manufacturing unit in Namaskarithanpatti while workers were engaged in production activities. The blast quickly sparked a fire that spread through parts of the factory premises, sending thick smoke into the air and causing panic in the surrounding area.
The two workers suffered fatal injuries and died at the spot. Their identities had not been released immediately. There was no immediate confirmation of any other casualties.
Fire and Rescue Services personnel reached the factory after receiving information about the incident and launched efforts to contain the blaze. Firefighters continued to douse the flames and cool the affected structures amid concerns over explosive materials stored inside the premises.
Police and revenue officials also reached the site and secured the surrounding area, preventing residents and onlookers from approaching the factory. Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the circumstances leading to the explosion.
Officials are expected to examine whether prescribed safety protocols were followed, how chemicals and finished fireworks were stored and whether production activities were being carried out within the conditions of the factory’s licence. The exact cause of the blast has not yet been established.
The latest deaths have again brought attention to the recurring safety concerns in Virudhunagar, a major centre of Tamil Nadu’s fireworks industry.
In April this year, an explosion at a fireworks factory in Kattanarpatti near Virudhunagar killed at least 25 workers, many of them women. In July, three people were killed in an explosion at an alleged illegal fireworks unit in the district.
The district has witnessed several other fatal accidents in recent years. Ten workers were killed in a blast at Ramuthevanpatti in February 2024, while another explosion near Sivakasi in May that year claimed 10 lives. Four workers were killed in a separate accident near Sattur in June 2024.
One of the region’s deadliest fireworks accidents occurred at a factory near Sivakasi in September 2012, when 40 people were killed and more than 70 injured.
Repeated accidents have led workers’ groups and safety campaigners to demand stricter inspections, tighter enforcement of limits on chemical handling and stronger action against unauthorised fireworks production.
Investigators will now determine whether negligence or violations of prescribed safety regulations contributed to Thursday’s accident.
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