Eight killed in explosion at Andhra Pradesh cracker manufacturing unit

Eight people were killed on Monday in an explosion at a cracker manufacturing factory in coastal East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.

"There was a big explosion in the cracker manufacturing factory. Our people (police) have counted eight people dead," a senior police official said on telephone.

The unit at Uppada Kothapalli is some 5 kms away from the beach near the district headquarters town of Kakinada, about 500 kms from Hyderabad.

Cause of the blast was not immediately known. Senior police officials have rushed to the spot.