1st LD Writethru: 8 killed in fire in India's biggest cracker manufacturing hub

At least eight people were killed and more than 10 others injured in a major fire at a huge cracker manufacturing hub in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu Thursday, a senior police official said.

"The fire broke out at Sivakasi, known as the country's fireworks capital and is some 500 km from state capital Chennai, during the offloading of a big consignment of crackers from a vehicle to a shop," he said, on condition of anonymity.

Soon the flames spread from the vehicle to a nearby health centre and victims included patients waiting there in a queue for check-up as well as passers-by. Some vehicles parked in the vicinity also got damaged in the fire.

While eight people died on the spot, those injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital, the official said, adding that most of the deaths were due to suffocation from flames and not due to blast that was triggered by the fire.

Local TV channels reported that four to five fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames and showed footage of some of the ravaged vehicles.

A probe has been ordered into the incident, the official said.

India is the second biggest producer of fireworks after China and Sivakasi contributes more than 90 per cent to this country's overall fireworks production.

But fire accidents are common in Sivakasi, where 20 to 25 reportedly die every year. More than 700,000 workers of Sivakasi have no other option but depend on one of the most hazardous industries for their livelihood.

Moreover, the fireworks industry in Sivakasi is often criticized for observing poor safety standards, employing child labor and paying lower wages to workers. But the industry rejects the charges, saying it also contributes by running schools for the workers' children. Endit