COIMBATORE: A 21-year-old youth died and five others including three children were injured in a cracker blast during a temple festival in Dharmapuri.

Police identified the deceased as M Vijayakumar, from ‘Karuppayi Kottai’ and injured as S Parasuraman, Nagaraj and three other children, aged around six and seven.

According to police, as part of the temple festival, a Goddess idol was taken on procession on Thursday night, which was followed by a load carrier vehicle laden with crackers to be fired on the procession route. Unfortunately, a spark from the aerial cracker had fallen on the stock of crackers in the vehicle and triggered a major fire.

As the huge pile of crackers began to burst, the devotees, mainly women, ran helter-skelter for safety. Villagers rushed the injured persons including children by 108 ambulance to Palacode Government Hospital. They were then sent to Dharmapuri Government Medical College and Hospital, where Vijayakumar succumbed to injuries without responding to treatment.

One of the girl children, who suffered severe injuries, has been referred to Salem Government Hospital for further treatment. The Palacode police have registered a case and further inquiries are on.

This incident comes close on the heels of a recent cracker blast claiming the lives of nine persons and injuring 13 others in a blast in fire cracker godown in Krishnagiri.