Rescue workers are sifting through a Hindu temple in southern India where at least 110 people died when a fireworks display an unauthorised pyrotechnic display that went horribly wrong swept through a temple packed with thousands for a religious festival.
The death toll so far from the pre-dawn fire on Sunday at the Puttingal Devi temple complex in the village of Paravoor, stood at 110 people with more than 380 others hurt, said police officer, Unnikrishnan.
Scores of devotees ran in panic as the massive initial blast cut off power in the complex, while other explosions sent flames and debris raining down, a witness said. Many people were trapped.
"It was complete chaos," said Krishna Das of Paravoor.
"People were screaming in the dark. Ambulance sirens went off, and in the darkness no one knew how to find their way out of the complex."
The fire started when a spark from the fireworks show ignited a separate batch of fireworks stored in the temple complex, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, the top elected official in Kerala state.
Police were searching for 15 members of the temple board who fled after the accident.
A retired judge will investigate the events leading to the fire.
