The explosion happened Friday morning in Bhandara, around 800 kilometres (500 miles) east of India's financial hub Mumbai, and caused the factory's roof to collapse.

"One worker unfortunately lost his life. My condolences to his family. We stand with the family in this tough time," Maharashtra state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said in a post on social media platform X.

Fadnavis said up to 14 workers had been trapped after the blast, with five brought out and operations underway to rescue the others.

Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh said he was "deeply saddened" by the blast.

Industrial disasters are common in India, with experts blaming poor planning and lax enforcement of safety rules.

Nine workers were killed in a 2023 blast at a factory in Maharashtra that manufactured drones and explosives.