India, April 19 -- At least 12 workers, including women, were killed and many were injured in an explosion at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Kattanarpatti in Tamil Nadu's Virudhunagar district on Sunday, police said.

"As of now, we have retrieved 12 bodies. We fear there may be more," a district police officer said.

News agency PTI said about 30 workers were at the firecracker factory when the fire broke out. Police said portions of the building collapsed due to the impact of the blast, and the factory was gutted in the devastating fire that followed.

Chief Minister MK Stalin condoled the deaths and instructed the district administration to coordinate all necessary assistance. Stalin said he had instructed ministers KKSSR Ramachan...