New Delhi: According to last reports,23 workers were charred to death and seven injured in a fire at a cracker factory in Kheri village in Balaghat district on Thurday. 

Additional Director General of Police(Balaghat range) G Janardhan said that the blaze started around 3 pm in the factory located around 10 kms from the district headquarters in the Kotwali police station limits. 

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced a compensation of 2 lakh rupees each to the next of kin of thedeceased. State government will also bear the medical expenses of the injured.

A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the incident.