9 killed in explosion in TN firecracker factory
The owner of the private licenced factory Naren Fireworks Godown in Kuruvimalai village was later arrested.
Nine people were killed and 18 were injured in an explosion in a firecracker unit in Tamil Nadu’s Kancheepuram district on Wednesday afternoon, police said. The owner of the private licenced factory Naren Fireworks Godown in Kuruvimalai village was later arrested.
Police said the workers had kept the firecrackers outside to dry them in the sun – a common practice in the industry – when they caught fire, leading to an explosion at around 12.30pm. The fire quickly spread to the godown and destroyed the entire unit.
State minister for rural industries T M Anbarasan said while the factory’s licence was valid till 2024, it had employed more workers than what was permitted. “They employed more people than what was permissible. That is a big violation,” Anbarasan said.
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Police said while only seven to 10 people were allowed to work at the premises, the unit had employed more than 27 people.
“We will take action against anyone else who is found guilty. The toll is likely to increase,” Kancheepuram superintendent of police (SP) M Sudhakar said.
Following the explosion, local residents rushed to the spot to carry the injured people to the hospital before an ambulance arrived. Firemen took more than 30 minutes to douse the flames, eyewitnesses said.
Of the eight deceased, three people died on the spot. “Five people succumbed to burn injuries in the hospital,” Anbarasan said.
While two bodies were charred beyond recognition, the remaining have been identified, police said.
Those injured are undergoing treatment at Chengalpattu government hospital and Chennai’s Kilpauk Medical College.
“We have told police to take appropriate action and we have informed chief minister M K Stalin about this accident. We have also instructed district officials and police to ensure that such incidents do not happen in the future. There are three more such units in the district which will be inspected and action will be taken if there are violations,” he added.
Police said a first information report (FIR) has been registered and the unit’s owner, Narendran, was arrested under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Explosives Act, 1888.
Chief minister Stalin announced a compensation of ₹3 lakh each to the kin of the deceased and ₹1 lakh each to the injured from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund
“I have instructed that those who are seriously injured and are undergoing advanced treatment in Chennai and Chengalpattu to be given special care,” he said in a statement.
Kancheepuram district collector M Aarthi and deputy inspector general of police P Pakalavan also visited the spot to oversee the rescue efforts.
In a tweet, Tamil Nadu leader of opposition Edappadi Palaniswami urged the state government to provide high-quality medical care to those injured.
