India chemical factory blast claims 12 lives

NEW DELHI, June 30 (AFP): A powerful explosion at an Indian chemical factory killed at least 12 people and injured several others on Monday, turning chunks of the building into rubble, a fire officer said.

"We have recovered 12 bodies so far," said B Nagehswara Rao, district fire official at the site of the blast in Sangareddy in India's southern Telangana state.

"We are searching through the debris for more bodies."

Industrial disasters are common in India, with experts blaming poor planning and lax enforcement of safety rules.

Footage on Indian television showed plumes of black smoke soaring into the sky.

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said that the "death of several people has caused great distress".