Three charred to death in fire at Sivakasi unit

Three persons were on Friday charred to death and an equal number suffered burns in a fire mishap at an illegal cottage fireworks unit, barely three weeks after a devastating blaze in a cracker unit claimed 39 lives.

The mishap occurred at a cracker manufacturing unit in Vijayakarisalkulam near Sivakasi, said the police.

Today's incident comes about three weeks after a major fire in a cracker unit at Mudhalipatti near Sivakasi, the country's fireworks hub, claimed 39 lives.

According to the police, crackers were being made in a house without the requisite permission. The authorities had intensified checking of fireworks units to ensure that  government norms and guidelines were being followed.

As per rules, even storing chemicals used for manufacturing crackers was not allowed inside any house, official sources said.

The injured had been admitted to a local hospital, said the police