Firecracker factory blast in India kills 8 children

Three people and eight children were killed after a firecracker factory in India exploded, leaving many injured and destroying several houses.

The youngest child killed was only four years old, according to local police, with injured victims taken to hospital for treatment on Monday.

Videos circulated on social media with images of the scene in the aftermath of the explosion in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh state. The footage showed nearby houses completely demolished at the site of the explosion. Other images showed survivors covered in debris and dust.

Both rescue teams using excavators, and citizens using other tools, such as stones, could be seen looking for survivors under the rubble.

The cause for the explosion is unclear. Local authorities were directed to the scene “to ensure proper treatment for the injured and to reach out to the affected families to provide them every possible assistance”, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on social media.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on social media he is “extremely saddened by the loss of lives”, while also promising compensation for those who lost a family member and for people who got injured.

The firecracker industry in India employs hundreds of thousands of people, and the country is a large global player in this field. Many factories are home-based, unsafe and employ children according to the International Labour Organisation.

This is the third blast at an Indian firecracker factory in the month of August, with today’s blast killing the most people.