Four women killed in Solapur cracker unit blast

At least four workers, all women, were killed in an explosion in a firecracker factory at Bhalawani in the rural area of Solapur on Monday evening, police said.

One of the deceased hailed from Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu. Nine persons were injured. Search was on at the site till late in the night for survivors.

Simultaneous explosions

“The explosion took place in the firecracker factory at 5.20 p.m. Eyewitnesses said crackers kept in the open for drying ignited, leading to the blast. Other crackers also caught fire and simultaneous explosions took place at two other structures in the factory,” Rajesh Pradhan, Superintendent of Police, Solapur (Rural), told The Hindu from the blast site at Mangalwedha.