At least 100 people dead in India as fire breaks out at temple

At least 100 people have been killed following an explosion at a Hindu temple caused by a fireworks display in Kerala.

A building at the temple collapsed resulting in many of the deaths, with more than 200 people injured, the BBC reports.

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The incident happened at 3.30am during celebrations of a local New Year festival when thousands of worshippers gathered at the Puttingal temple.

The Guardian reports that state home minister Ramesh Chennitala said the fire started when a stray firework hit a stockpile of fireworks.

Local resident Anitha Prakash told BBC Hindi: "Our house is unliveable. Everything is blown off... If we had stayed in our house last night, we would have all died."

Another resident said: "Huge pieces of concrete were flying through the air."

The Kerala government has ordered an investigation.

Kerala's Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said: "There was no permission to even store the fireworks."