Shimla : Six Women and a child were killed on Tuesday when an explosion triggered a fire in a Firecracker Factory in Una district in Himachal Pradesh, officials said.

The ghastly incident took place in the industrial area in Bathri area of Haroli Tehsil. State Disaster Management Authority spokesperson Sudesh Mokta said fire tenders doused the flames. By then, however, six women and a child were dead and about 10 persons were seriously injured.

Two others got minor injuries. Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Mehta told said that the bodies of six women were recovered and three of them were identified as locals. The victim included two women from Punjab. Two of the seriously injured were rushed to PGI Chandigarh. The others were taken to a hospital in Una. When the blast took place, nearly 20 employees were at work in the unit.