VIRUDHUNAGAR: At least 23 workers were charred to death and 11 others sustained injuries in a massive explosion at the Vanaja fireworks unit in Kattanarpatti village near Virudhunagar in Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
At least five policemen, media personnel, including TNIE senior photojournalist KK Sundar, and a few fire and rescue services personnel were also injured in a second blast at the private firecracker unit during the rescue operation at around 7 pm, sources said.
Based on preliminary inquiry, police said the incident occurred at around 3 pm when nearly 50 employees were working at the DRO licensed unit.
The blast is believed to have originated in the front veranda area, where workers were allegedly handling raw materials.
The impact of the explosion was so severe that at least four rooms were reduced to rubble, and several adjacent structures were completely levelled. Sources said fire and rescue services personnel battled the flames for several hours.
Police identified the deceased as K Velsamy (56), S Porkodi (63), both from Thiruthangal village; K Pandiammal (55), M Bakyalakshmi (40), K Kaliammal (45), M Indhurani (46), R Mariammal (57), K Maruthan (50), his wife Nagammal (48), K Pandiammal (54), A Janaki (55) and I Nachiammal (55), all from Servaikaranpatti.
The charred bodies of the deceased were shifted to the Government Virudhunagar Medical College Hospital, where the injured are also undergoing treatment.
Police identified the injured as Saratha, Panjavarnam, Petchiammal, Sangli Thangam, Veerabathran, Arunkumar, and 12 year old V Sathish, the son of one of the workers, who was allegedly playing at the spot.
Among the injured, Petchiammal and Panjavarnam sustained more than 80% burns and are said to be in a critical condition. The rescue operations resumed after a brief halt following the second blast.
Minister KKSSR Ramachandran told reporters that Chief Minister M K Stalin would provide compensation to the families after obtaining approval from the Election Commission of India.
Fire and rescue service personnel rushed to the spot and have been engaged in the rescue operation. Virudhunagar SP N Shreenatha is also present at the spot. The SP has launched an inquiry into why the workers were on duty at the factory on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister MK Stalin has expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.
"The tragic news of the deaths of several people in the firecracker factory explosion that occurred in Kattanapatti, Virudhunagar district, causes immense sorrow. My deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives," Stalin said in a post on X.
The CM informed that he has directed ministers KKSSR Ramachandran and Thangam Thennarasu to supervise and expedite the rescue operations and offer support to the affected families.
"...I have contacted the District Collector and instructed them to coordinate all necessary assistance," the CM said.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami expressed condolences and blamed the DMK regime for recurring accidents over the last five years. Other leaders have also expressed their condolences.
BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran also expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
The accident comes just days after a similar blast in the Vembakottai area of the same district that claimed four lives.