Kakinada: Eleven people, including nine women were burnt to death and seven others suffered serious burns in an accident at a manufacturing unit of illegal firecrackers in Vakathippa, a coastal village in U. Kothapalli Mandal, 22 km from Kakinada on Monday in the evening. 

Among the dead were four members of a family. The explosion was so intense that the bodies of the victims were flown in adjacent fields. About 40 workers, mostly women, were working in the unit at the time of the explosion. Women were daily wagers and the owner of the unit, Koppisetty Appa Rao, they had participated by paying a Rs 150 casualties in their relative manikanta fireworks. 

Some reports said Appa Rao, who owns a manufacturing unit of illegal firecrackers in Vakathippa, a coastal village in U. Kothapalli Mandal, 22 km from Kakinada and her mother were among those injured in the blast on Monday. 

Police said Appa Rao had been leading manufacturing unit in cookie Vakathippa village for 20 years. He had applied for renewal of his license in March 31 butrevenue officials had not given permission yet. 

According to one version of the accident, a woman in the unit cookies tiles lit a stove for tea and the explosion followed immediately. According to another version, someone threw a lit cigarette in the resulting explosion. 

Superintendent of Police M. Ravi Prakash told this newspaper that the case had been booked against the owner under section 304 (2) 309 under the Explosives Act. 
Ministers of China Rajappa N., P. Manikyala Rao Pithapuram SVSN legislature Varma rushed to the spot and instructed officials to ensure immediate medical assistance to the wounded. 

Mr. Rajappa announced that the state government would give Rs 2 lakh compensation to the family of each of the victims and medical treatment to be given to survivors. He said the government had ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident. He said he had ordered all illegal cracker manufacturing units to be closed.