Firecracker factory blast in India kills 8 children

Eleven people have been killed as a firecracker factory in India exploded, leaving many injured and destroying several houses.

Three adults and eight children were killed in the accident on Monday. It was the third such blast at an Indian firecracker factory this year.

The youngest child killed was just four years old, according to local police. Several injured people were taken to hospital for treatment.

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.

Rescue teams used excavators and citizens employed other tools inclWe neuding stones as they searched for survivors under the rubble.

The cause for the explosion was not immediately clear. 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.