COIMBATORE: Three persons, including a couple, died as an intense explosion ripped through a house where fireworks were manufactured in Namakkal on Wednesday, the police said.

The police identified the deceased as Rajsekar (50), his wife Sathya (40) and another woman, Ponmalar, all from the same neighbourhood of Pandamangalam in Namakkal district.

Even though some residents in the neighbourhood claimed that six people were involved in the manufacture of fireworks at the time of the blast, the police said the exact number of casualties could be established only after the search operation.

According to the police, Rajsekar was engaged in the manufacture and sale of fireworks. The explosion, which occurred at around 4 pm on Wednesday, was so intense that it brought down the upper floor of the house, the police said. Thick smoke enveloped the neighbourhood, and houses in the vicinity reportedly felt the impact of the blast.

On receiving information, the police from Paramathi Velur Station rushed to the spot, while fire and rescue personnel from Namakkal fought to contain the blaze.

With crackers continuing to explode inside the damaged structure, the firefighters were forced to maintain a safe distance while directing water jets towards the building. By around 7 pm, the firefighters brought down the blaze and began removing the debris. The bodies of the trio were then recovered from the wreckage. An investigation is under way to determine the circumstances that led to the explosion.