At least 52 people were charred to death and an equal number injured in a devastating chain of explosions and blaze at a fire cracker factory near Sivakasi town in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.The number of casualty might go further up since nearly 300 labourers were engaged with their work at the 'Om Shakthi' factory, producers of the popular 'A 1' brand of crackers, at Mudalipatti hamlet. Moreover, most of the injured had more than 50 per cent burns.Officials have so far accounted for 52 victims, kept at hospitals in Sattur (16), Virudhunagar (13), Sivakasi (21). Two others succumbed to the burns on the way to Madurai.Ironically, some of the victims were people from the neighbourhood who had rushed in to provide assistance to the injured. They were trapped inside the factory complex.Though the first explosion took place at 12.30 pm, fire-tenders and the police could get anywhere closer to the factory only at around 4 pm. Until then, there were intermittent explosions and the entire complex sprawling with 48 tiny blocks was razed to the ground. The nauseating smell of chemicals that filled the air and the deafening noise also deterred people from entering the complex.With huge pile of smoke billowing into the air accompanied by loud noise, it appeared akin to that of an aerial bombardment, keeping even onlookers and the rescue and relief team at bay. For eyewitnesses from a nearby stone crushing unit and farmhands, who are themselves shell shocked, the scene was reminiscent of a war zone. Smoke was visible at a distance of 5 km, they said."We rushed to the spot immediately, but, could not step in since the explosions went on like a chain reaction. Besides, 60 fire and rescue service personnel, 10 fire-tenders were brought to the site," said Najmal Hooda, Viruhunagar district Police Superintendent."With only two months to go, Deepawali festival is close at hand and to meet the demand for crackers these units increase the pace of production manifold. Now, we have to clear the debris to ascertain the exact number of deaths," he added.According to preliminary inquiry, the tragedy struck when workers were engaged in mixing chemicals for the fancy fireworks. In contravention of the safety norms, the entire production was stored in a godown in the factory, exposing it for such, mishaps. And the blast at one unit had set off the chain of deadly explosions.Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has dispatched a ministerial team led by her senior cabinet colleague, O Panneerselvam, to coordinate rescue and relief operations.Firecracker units circumventing safety norms is blamed for the frequent mishaps in the region.