Kollam, India (BBN)-At least 102 persons were killed and over 350 injured after a fire broke out at the Paravur Puttingal Devi temple around 3:30am on Sunday.
The fireworks ceremony was held as part of the annual festival of the temple, near Kollam, reports The Hindu.
Over 100 victims are admitted to the district hospital in Kollam.
Many of the injured died before they could be reach a hospital.
Victims are also admitted to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital and at various private hospitals in Kollam.
The explosion was caused when the storehouse of the fireworks materials caught fire.
In the impact of the explosion the office building of the Travancore Devaswom Board near the storehouse was blown off.
Sparks which flew from the fireworks on display landed on the storehouse and caused the explosion, preliminary reports say.
There is a district level ban on pyrotechnics at temples but these are held on the basis of temporary permits annually. Such permits are given on religious tradition grounds.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala are visiting the scene.
Rescue operations are being carried out under the direct supervisions of the State Police Chief, T.P. Senkumar.
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