The police initially identified two persons at the spot. During the rescue operation, personnel from the Fire and Rescue Services Department and the police recovered the body of another victim from the debris, a source said.

Personnel from the Fire and Rescue Services Department and the police rushed to the spot, brought the fire under control after a strenuous operation and launched rescue efforts.

The explosion occurred in a godown where workers were involved in manufacturing crackers at Sengamalpatti area in Sivakasi taluk of Virudhunagar district. The explosion triggered a series of firecracker blasts, sending thick black smoke billowing into the sky and causing panic among residents in the area.

The injured were admitted to the Sivakasi Government Hospital and are undergoing treatment.

Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. Preliminary inquiries indicated that the godown was functioning illegally. Officials are also probing the cause of the explosion and possible violations of safety norms.

The latest accident comes days after Industries Minister S. Keerthana chaired a consultative meeting with fireworks manufacturers and traders in Sivakasi, where the government discussed measures to strengthen the industry's competitiveness and policy support.

In recent years, several workers have been killed in explosions at licensed and unlicensed fireworks units in and around Sivakasi. Investigations into such incidents have often pointed to violations of safety norms, overcrowding of work sheds, illegal storage of explosives and unauthorised manufacturing activities. This happened even after the intervention of the Madras High Court, which issued strict warnings and safety guidelines for the manufacture of firecrackers.