Ahead of Diwali, four killed in blast at illegal firecracker unit in Avadi house

CHENNAI: An explosion caused by illegally stored firecrackers ripped through a residential building in Pattabiram on Sunday, killing four people and sending waves of panic through the neighbourhood just ahead of Deepavali.

The incident occurred at the residence of one Aarumugam on Vivasaya Street. Preliminary investigations suggest that Aarumugam’s son Vijay (25) had been illegally manufacturing and storing a large cache of country-made firecrackers, which are used at temple festivals and funerals, at the property.

“It is an unlicensed facility. The building, which was already weak, came down in the impact of the explosion. The explosion and building collapse together seem to have caused the deaths. A detailed probe will reveal the actual cause,” Avadi police commissioner K Shankar told DT Next.

According to police, the blast was triggered by firecrackers worth a few lakhs of rupees, causing a portion of the building to collapse and ignite a massive fire. Several houses nearby were also damaged in the impact. For nearly 20 minutes since the initial blast, many small explosions followed in the burning structure, hampering rescue efforts and terrifying residents.

Fire and rescue services personnel from multiple stations battled the flames with five fire engines deployed. After a prolonged operation, they recovered four bodies from the rubble. Two of the deceased have been identified as Yaseen (25) and Sunil Prakash (23) from Tiruninravur, who were reportedly at the house to purchase firecrackers. The identities of the other two deceased remain unknown, and authorities are working to determine whether or not Vijay was among the deceased.

Avadi Police Commissioner Shankar visited the site and assured a thorough investigation into the illegal trade.