Islamabad: Twenty-five persons, including several school children, were killed and dozens injured when fireworks exploded in Pakistan's dry port in Sialkot city bordering India.

The explosion went off on February 4 afternoon as the fireworks were being placed into containers to be shipped to Lahore, media reports in Islamabad said.

Many of the burning fireworks fell on the roof and in the courtyard of a school in Sambrial town near Sialkot city setting of a blaze there, police was quoted as saying.

Most of the casualties appeared to be school children and workers at the shipping depot, Pakistan's private television 'Geo News' said.

Rescue teams have rushed to the spot and were working to save lives and recover bodies.

Investigations are underway, they said.

Though it was not clear what caused the fireworks to go off, some reports suggested the possibility of a cigarette butt thrown by a labourer may have caused the explosion.

PTI