At least eight people were killed and over a dozen injured early Tuesday in a massive explosion in a cracker factory in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, reported Indo-Asian News Service.

The tragedy happened overnight in Yakubpur village in Auraiyya district of the state. Eight of the injured were in critical condition.

The owner of the cracker factory produced crackers from his house, said police.

The incident took place as India was celebrating the Diwali or all lights festival, the most important festival of the year from Monday night till Tuesday, when people use a lot of crackers and fire works.

Cracker factories -- which heavily use child labor -- report serious incidents from time to time in India.Over 50 people, mostly children and women laborers, were killed in a cracker explosion in the southern state of Tamil Nadu in early September.