Explosion at India firecracker factory kills 11, including eight children

LUCKNOW, India - An explosion at a firecracker factory in northern India on Aug 31 killed at least 11 people, including eight children, police said.The powerful explosion in Kaushambi district of Uttar Pradesh state caused the collapse of several nearby houses where most of the dead resided, according to local media reports.The deceased children were between the ages of four and 13, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported.Rescue personnel working at the site of the explosion on Aug 31 in India’s Uttar Pradesh state. PHOTO: EPAPolice officer Satnarayan Prajapat confirmed the deaths, adding several others were injured in the explosion.It was not immediately clear what caused the blast.The relative of a victim mourns as rescue work continues at Pipri, in India’s Uttar Pradesh state. PHOTO: EPAIndustrial accidents are common in India, often due to poor adherence to safety regulations and weak enforcement.In March, a fire at a fireworks factory in western India killed 17 people.The following month, eight people were killed when a firecracker storage facility in southern India caught fire. AFP