An explosion and blaze sparked by fireworks have killed at least 100 people at a Hindu temple in the Indian state of Kerala, police said as quoted by the BBC.

The fireworks, which were to be used to celebrate a local new year festival, exploded about 03:30 (22:15 GMT Saturday), local media said.

A building at the temple then collapsed, causing many of the deaths. More than 200 people were injured.

Officials said permits for the display had been refused after safety fears.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is travelling to the scene, in the coastal town of Paravur. 

On Twitter, he said the incident was "heart-rending and shocking beyond words".

As morning broke, hundreds of people arrived at the temple in search of relatives and friends while emergency teams used bulldozers to clear the area in search of survivors.

Many of the injured are in critical condition and are being treated at the government medical college in Thiruvananthapuram, the state capital.

A team of specialist doctors was being sent from Delhi amid cases of horrific burns suffered by those injured. 

Source : MENA