KOCHI: The residents of Muttinakam, in Varapuzha grama panchayat, are yet to come out from the shock. Initially, they thought it was an earthquake due to the tremors they felt. It took them some time to realise that the firecracker unit near their home had exploded bringing down the godown and nearby houses. The sound of the huge blast, which occurred around 5.30 pm, was heard as far as 5 km away from the accident site.
“My hardware shop is located at Varapuzha. I felt the tremors and thought it was an earthquake. However, after a few minutes I received a call informing me that a blast occurred at the firecracker manufacturing unit near my house,” said Robin, adding that the unit had been working there for the past several years. “A house and a shed for manufacturing and storage of the firecrackers were located there. This is an entirely new experience for me,” he added.
Most people in the vicinity rushed out of their houses fearing that it was an earthquake. The blast also led to the collapse of the concrete house that was used as the godown for storing the crackers and also damaged windows of several houses.
Thomas, another resident, said, he heard the noise and felt the tremors around 5.30 pm while returning to his house from Kochi. “I never thought that it was a blast at the firecracker unit. When I reached the spot I saw the collapsed house and the gutted shed. Nobody still knows the real reason behind the blast,” he added.
Varapuzha panchayat president, Kochurani Joseph, who arrived at the spot hearing about the incident, adds that she also thought that it was an earthquake.“A huge noise was heard first and then we felt the tremor,” she added.
After hearing the news of the blast, hundreds flocked to the accident spot putting the police personnel deployed at the site under more pressure. Power supply to the area was also disrupted. According to Yesudas Parappilly, district panchayat member, there is a possibility that the firecracker unit had stored a huge volume of crackers as it is festival season. He added that according to sources the unit had a licence to manufacture and store firecrackers.
Firecracker accidents
Deadly accidents involving firecrackers have become a recurring feature despite stringent rules set by the government in this regard
Maradu, July 17, 2009: Three persons killed in an explosion after 1,000kg of crackers stored in a house caught fire
Palakkad, February 3, 2011: Eight persons died and four gravely injured after a fire triggered blasts in 3 cracker factories
Thrissur, December 27, 2011: Six persons died and six injured in an explosion at a fireworks manufacturing unit at Gramala in Athani.
Muvattupuzha, February 28, 2015: A nine-year-old girl died in a firecracker accident during a festival in Muvattupuzha
Kottayam, April 24, 2015: A school student was killed and nine others injured in a fireworks accident during a festival in Aruvithura
Maradu, January 22, 2016: A woman was killed and a man seriously injured when a firecracker manufacturing unit at Maradu caught fire leading to a major explosion.
Kollam, April 10, 2016: Over 110 people were killed and over 350 injured when a spark ignited a stack of fireworks stored for a festival in Kollam