Indian police have made arrests in connection with a fire in a fireworks factory that killed at least 39 people in southern India.

Indian media had earlier put the death toll from Wednesday's fire at more than 52. Firefighters worked for hours to control the blaze at the factory on the outskirts of Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu state.

Authorities detained five people on Thursday after discovering a number of violations at the plant, including the fact that its production license had been revoked earlier this week. The foreman of the plant was among those arrested.

Some 300 people were working at the fireworks factory when the fire broke out. The cause was not immediately known.

Sivakasi is India's manufacturing hub for fireworks, which are often used during religious festivals and weddings in India.