The deadly cost of India’s firecracker industry

The city of Sivakasi in India makes 90% of the country’s firecrackers, but every year, dozens of people die in accidental explosions at factories across the region. We visited workshops producing millions of crackers ahead of holidays like Diwali and New Year’s — where workers wear little safety equipment and inhale toxic chemicals to make the beloved firecrackers.

The city of Sivakasi in India makes 90% of the country’s firecrackers, but every year, dozens of people die in accidental explosions at factories across the region. We visited workshops producing millions of crackers ahead of holidays like Diwali and New Year’s — where workers wear little safety equipment and inhale toxic chemicals to make the beloved firecrackers.