Temple Fire, Panic Kill 60 Worshipers

Burning firecrackers ignited a tent in a historical temple in southern India on Saturday, killing at least 60 worshipers and injuring more than 200 others, an Indian news agency said.

Several thousand people had gathered at the temple in Thanjavur to witness preparations for a prayer festival today, the Press Trust of India news agency said, citing local officials.

Most of the victims were crushed to death in the stampede of worshipers trying to escape the fire, the agency said. Eighteen women and two children were among the dead, it said.

At the time of the fire, about 120 priests were preparing for today’s celebration, in which a holy fire fueled by clarified butter is lighted.