People who make dazzling crackers in Sivakasi work in the most appalling conditions, which pose a constant threat to their lives. In the latest incident, 38 people were killed and over 60 injured in the powerful explosion that tore through one of the biggest fireworks factories in Tamil Nadu.
Here is a look at major fire accidents till date.
April 19, 2005: Two persons were killed in an explosion at a cracker manufacturing unit near Madurai.
July 2, 2005: 12 persons were killed and 22 injured in a fire accident at Anuppankulam in Sivakasi.
July 25, 2005: Six employees of a private fireworks unit were injured in an accidental fire at a cracker unit at Anuppankulam near Sivakasi.
April 20, 2006: Four people including a woman were killed in a blast in a cracker unit in Sivakasi.
July 7, 2009: Seventeen workers of a cracker factory were burnt to death in a fire accident in the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu.
July 20, 2009: Eighteen people were killed and 33 injured 23 of them seriously, when a fire swept through the unit which makes crackers at Namaskarichanpatti in Virudhunagar District.
July 28, 2009: Three workers were killed in the mishap at Anil Fireworks in Keezha Tiruthangal village in Sivakasi
August 3, 2009: One died in the accident at Classic Fireworks in Meenampatti in Sivakasi.
August 29, 2009: Two workers were killed and three others injured in a fire accident at a cracker unit in Sattur.
March 30, 2010: One person was killed and six others injured in a blast at a country-made cracker unit on South Car Street in Dindigul.
August 5, 2010: An eight-year-old boy was killed in a fire accident reportedly at an illegal cracker unit functioning in a house near Sivakasi.
August 10, 2010: Eight state government officials suffered severe burns when firecrackers stored at an illegal godown they raided exploded accidentally at D Durai samypuram village, near Sivakasi.
August 26, 2010: A fireworks employee was killed in a fire accident in a cracker unit near Virudhunagar.
October 17, 2010: Three persons were charred to death and three others suffered burns when a godown of a cracker manufacturing unit at Ellappan Pettai village, near Cuddalore.
January 21, 2011: Eight workers were charred to death and sixteen, including five women, were injured in an explosion that took place at a fireworks unit near Virudhunagar.
March 22, 2011: Crackers worth lakhs of rupees were destroyed in a fire that broke out in a godown at A Lakshmiapuram, near Sivakasi.
June 5, 2011: A woman worker was killed and another injured in a fire accident at a cracker unit near Sattur.
August 6, 2011: Six women workers were killed in an accident following an explosion that took place in a fireworks factory near Sivakasi.
Oct 3, 2011: Two workers were killed in an explosion that took place in a fireworks factory near Sattur.
December 28, 2011: Four workers were killed on the spot and two others injured in an explosion at a cracker-manufacturing unit near Sivakasi.
February 3, 2012: A worker was injured in a fire accident at a fireworks unit in Sevalpatti on Friday.
Feb 28, 2012: Two labourers of a firecracker-manufacturing unit, who were seriously injured in a blast died at a private hospital in Madurai.
March 7, 2012: A blast at a fireworks unit in Sivakasi claimed the life of one worker and left another seriously injured. The incident occurred at National Paper Caps in Aiyanar Colony.
May 10, 2012: A 70-year-old man was burnt to death in an explosion at a fire cracker manufacturing unit in Sivakasi in Virudhunagar district.
March 27, 2012: Two workers who sustained serious burn injuries in a blast at a fireworks unit in Sankarapandiapuram near Sattur succumbed to the injuries at a private hospital in Madurai.
Aug 10, 2012: A worker at a cracker unit was critically injured in a fire accident at a fireworks unit at Thulukkakurichi near Vembakottai.
Aug 13, 2012: A woman employee of a fireworks unit was killed in a fire accident at a cracker unit in Maraneri near Virudhunagar.
Sept 05, 2012: At least 38 people were killed and over 60 injured in one of the worst fire tragedies in Om Sakthi Fireworks, a private cracker manufacturing unit in Mudhalipatti.