NEW DELHI: An explosion at a firecracker factory in India killed at least 21 people and injured eight others on Saturday, officials told local media.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X he was “pained by the loss of lives” and extended his condolences after the blast in Kakinada, in the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh.

The Press Trust of India news agency quoted state minister Kandula Durgesh as confirming there were 21 deaths, out of around 30 people who were at the factory at the time of the explosion.

“Another eight persons are undergoing treatment in hospitals,” Durgesh added.

Authorities have lau­n­ched a probe into the incident, which the stat­e’s chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu ca­­l­­­­led “heartbreaking”.

Fireworks are hugely popular in India, particularly during the Hindu festival of Diwali and wedding celebrations. Explos­ions are common in firecracker workshops, often due to disregard for safety requirements and lax enforcement.

Last year, a firework fac­t­ory explosion in western India killed 21 people.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2026