India fireworks factory blast kills 12

NEW DELHI: At least 12 workers were killed in a blast at an illegal fireworks factory in eastern India, police said Thursday.
Six others were injured in West Bengal state's West Midnapore district late Wednesday, senior police officer Abhishek Gupta said.
The death toll could rise as some of the injured were critical, he said.
Gupta denied allegations by local residents that the factory was used to make bombs.
"The explosion was so loud that it shook nearby houses and cracks have also developed on walls," a local resident told the IANS news agency.
The factory owner absconded after the incident. Accidental explosions are not uncommon at Indian fireworks factories, where safety norms are often disregarded.
Eleven workers died in an explosion at another fireworks unit in the western state of Maharashtra this week. – dpa