Dhaka, April 22 -- At least 13 people have been killed and several others injured, including five reportedly in critical condition, after an explosion at a firecracker factory in India, reports BBC.

The accident took place in Thrissur in the southern state of Kerala on Tuesday afternoon when around 40 people were allegedly assembling firecrackers in a cluster of sheds for a festival, the report said.

The 3:30pm (local time) explosion led to secondary blasts that slowed rescue efforts, marking the second such incident this week, BBC said citing officials.

On Sunday, another firecracker factory blast in neighbouring Tamil Nadu state claimed at least 25 lives.

The force of the blast was so strong that it was felt kilometres away, with ma...