Four workers were killed and four others were injured in an explosion at a firecracker godown in Tamil Nadu’s Mayiladuthurai on Wednesday, ANI reported.

The workers, involved in manufacturing firecrackers, were packing them when the explosion happened, police said. The godown’s owner Mohan has been detained for further questioning, according to India Today.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear.

Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed grief over the deaths and announced Rs 3 lakh compensation for the families of the people who died.

A similar incident occurred in Virudhunagar on Tuesday when three persons sustained severe injuries in an explosion at Victoria Firework Industries due to friction between the pellets that were put up for drying outside a room, reported The New Indian Express.

A case was registered against the factory’s owner Rajendra Raja and foreman Sattaiyaa.

In 2021, the Director of Industrial Safety and Health issued guidelines for firecracker manufacturers. As per the guidelines, the factory must ensure that the chemical mixture used to produce firecrackers is fully utilised.

“The remaining chemical mixture should be disposed of safely and production of crackers should be carried out in a room with persons for whom permission has been given,” it said. “Filling operation should be done soon after the chemical mixture is prepared so that the decomposing of chemical mixture, which leads to accident, could be avoided.”

Additionally, the guidelines said that chemical mixtures should not be overstocked and iron materials should not be used in production. The factories are also required to ensure that gift boxes are not prepared inside the office room or magazine room and workers are not bringing in their mobile phones.