Five labourers were killed today and 11 injured when an explosion in a fire cracker unit near here flattened the small building which housed the manufacturing facility.

“There was an explosion and the building collapsed from the impact. Five male workers were trapped and killed in the concrete rubble,” a senior officer from the Villupuram District Fire and Rescue Services said. ” Work is on to clear the remaining concrete rubble.”

The 11 injured, which included six women, have been rushed to the hospital, said the officer.

The mishap occurred at Turuvai village, about 55 km from here on the Tindivanam-Puducherry route.

“It was a small building with three rooms. While one room was used for making firecrackers, other rooms were used for storing the finished products,” he said.

Following the mishap, top district police and fire officials visited the spot and held inquiries. Police said that the reason for the explosion is being investigated.