- An explosion at a fireworks factory in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, India, on Sunday killed at least 23 workers, predominantly women.
- The blast, which occurred while nearly 100 workers were mixing chemicals, flattened four sheds and initially injured six people, four critically.
- A second explosion later in the evening injured 17 individuals, including police officers and firefighters, during rescue operations.
- Authorities said the factory was operating in violation of multiple safety regulations, including functioning on a Sunday and exceeding permitted worker numbers, despite holding a licence which is now set to be cancelled.
- The factory owner has reportedly absconded.
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