Reckless cracker demo chars 13 to death
Fire and Rescue Service personnel cleared the debris and removed the charred bodies from the accident site, adding that two women, Ponnuthai of Alagapuri and Chinnathai, suffered about 20 per cent burns.
Fire personnel dousing fire after an explosion at a cracker shop-cum-packing unit in Rengapalayam near Sivakasi.
MADURAI: A reckless attempt to test crackers resulted in the death of 13 workers, including 12 women, and injured two women at Rengapalayam village in Sivakasi on Tuesday. In another incident, a 60-year-old worker died in a fire at Kitchanaickenpatti.
The accident at Rengapalayam happened around 1:30 p.m. when some buyers tested the quality of crackers close to a shop. During the demo, sparks flew towards the shop and rapidly spread to the temporary packaging unit behind it, said officials.
The deceased were identified as Mahadevi (50) and Anitha (40) of Alagapuri, Panchavarnam (35), M Balamurugan (30), Kuruvammal (55), Indira (50), Lakshmi (28) Tamilselvi (55), and M Muneeswari (32) of Ammapatti, Packiyam (35) of Lakshmiyapuram, and Chellammal (40) and Muthulakshmi (36) of Moovaravendran – all in Watrap taluk; and Thangamalai (33) of Sevalur in Sivakasi.
Fire and Rescue Service personnel cleared the debris and removed the charred bodies from the accident site, adding that two women, Ponnuthai of Alagapuri and Chinnathai, suffered about 20 per cent burns.
The fire rapidly spread to the packaging unit behind the shop causing a major accident. Fire and Rescue Service personnel cleared the debris and removed the charred bodies from the accident site, sources said. Sivakasi tahsildar M Vadivel said had the accident occurred at a manufacturing unit, the death toll would have been much higher.
Following the accident, Collector VP Jeyaseelan, DIG (Madurai Range), RV Ramya Bharati, Virudhunagar SP R Srinivasa Perumal, District Fire Officer A Vivekanandan, revenue staff and officials from PESO and Department of Industrial Safety and Health.
In the other incident, which happened around 1.15 pm on Tuesday, a 60-year old man identified as P Vembu of Nathikudi succumbed to burns after an explosion at a manufacturing unit in Kitchanaickenpatti in Virudhunagar.
Sivakasi RDO Viswanathan said the accident occurred at the factory premises and investigation was on to find out whether it happened while manufacturing or packaging the finished goods. Based on a complaint, M Pudupatti police have filed a case. A foreman is being inquired, added the official.
Later in the day, district Collector VP Jeyaseelan instructed the District Revenue Officer and the Joint Director of Industrial Safety and Health to conduct inquiries into the two fire accidents and submit a report.
