Huge fire at fireworks factory in Jakarta kills 47

Police officers and rescuers inspect the site of an explosion at a firecracker factory in Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo / AP

Grief stricken relatives of the 47 people who died in a fireworks factory explosion on the outskirts of Indonesia's capital last night are beginning the gut wrenching task of identifying their loved ones using dental records or DNA.

Workers had no time to escape from the plant in Tangerang, a manufacturing hub to the west of Jakarta, after explosions that one neighbour described as a "roar" that could be heard miles away on Thursday.

In this image made from video, residents watch as thick black smoke billows from the site of an explosion at a firecracker factory in Tangerang, on the outskirt of Jakarta. Photo / AP

The death toll is expected to rise as some workers suffered critical burns, while 10 others remain unaccounted for.

A video of the scene showed charred bodies sprawled about the burnt-out factory.

Grass was scorched over an area about 10 metres from the site.

"People were burned so badly you couldn't see their faces ... It was really bad," said search and rescue official Deden Nurjaman.

- AAP