Eight persons, including six members of a family, were killed today in an explosion in a house where fire fire-crackers were being manufactured illegally for the Diwali festival. The explosion took place at the house in Yaqoobpur town in Bela police station area in the morning, deputy superintendent of police Ashok Kumar Singh said.

A loud explosion was heard after the fire crackers caught fire, killing eight on the spot and injuring 12 others.

The critically injured have been referred to a hospital in Kanpur.

The fire crackers were being illegally manufactured in the house of Motilal and Ram Narain.