Explosions in Virudhunagar and Thrissur kill at least 37
This week saw two deadly explosions at a firework assembly unit in Kerala and a fireworks factory in Tamil Nadu, one in Kerala's Thrissur district that killed at least 14 people and another just days earlier in Tamil Nadu's Virudhunagar, leaving at least 23 dead.
These incidents not only caused a huge loss of life but also forced the cancelation of big local events like the Thrissur Pooram fireworks.
Virudhunagar supplies 90%, over 100 deaths
Virudhunagar is basically the heart of India's firecracker industry, making about 90% of the country's supply.
But safety often takes a backseat: workers are pushed to work fast for piece-rate pay, dangerous chemicals are everywhere, and summer heat makes sparks more likely.
Add weak enforcement of safety rules and poor storage practices, and it's a recipe for disaster: more than a hundred people have died here between 2022 and mid-2025.
The repeated tragedies are raising serious questions about how safe (or unsafe) this industry really is.