Nellore: Five people died and six others were critically injured following an explosion at a firecrackers manufacturing unit in Porlakatta of Nellore district, here on Saturday.

All the deceased were workers at the unit. They were packing explosives for export to neighbouring states in view of the new year festivities, police said. The explosion happened during the packing process, the officials said. According to local residents, the workers at the unit are untrained and have no knowledge about explosives or the optimum mixture of chemicals. "They mix and pack the chemicals as they are taught by the owners of the unit and do not know any safety precautions," a local resident said.

On earlier occasion, too, there was an explosion at the same unit. However, local administration officials and police inquired about it and did not take any measures to prevent recurrence. Several residents in the vicinity of the manufacturing unit made repeated pleas to the authorities to shift the unit but no measures were taken, sources said.

YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has expressed shock and grief over the loss of human life in the fire mishap at a firecracker unit in Nellore district.