Eight persons, including three women and a child, were killed in a massive fire at a factory in Maharashtra's Solapur district on Sunday, officials said.

Prima facie, a short in the circuit triggered the blaze around 3:45 am at Central Textile Mills situated on the Akkalkot Road in Solapur MIDC, around 400 km from Mumbai.

The deceased individuals include the factory owner, identified as Haji Usman Hasanbhai Mansuri, three members of his family including his one-and-a-half-year old grandson, and four workers.

An official said the deceased individuals included three women.

Due to the intensity of the blaze, it took five to six hours for Fire Brigade personnel to control the raging flames.

Fire fighting operations are underway at the spot, he added.

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