India fireworks blast 'kills 18'
Pastor Dale Morgan
India fireworks blast 'kills 18'
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BBC - Eighteen people have died after a huge explosion at an illegal
fireworks factory in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, police say.
The dead include eight children. The blast in Deeg town near Jaipur
early on Thursday left some 20 others injured.
The blast was so powerful that it destroyed the factory in a slum and
brought down two neighbouring homes.
Fireworks factories in India are most at risk of accidental explosions
around this time of the year.
Indians are celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights, next week and
fireworks manufacturers step up production to meet growing demand.
Correspondents say many illegal facilities making and storing fireworks
come into operation during this time.
Senior police official Rohit Mahajan said rescue work was going on to
determine whether there were more casualties.
In 2005, at least 35 people died in a huge explosion at a fireworks
store in northern Bihar state.
In the same year, at least seven people from the same family were killed
in a firecracker blast in the western state of Gujarat.
And in 2002, at least 23 people were killed in separate incidents in
southern India caused by fireworks explosions.