HIRENAGAVELI (CHIKKABALLAPUR): Residents of Hirenagaveli village were shaken out of their beds in the wee hours of Tuesday as a loud bang ripped across the region when gelatin sticks being transported in mini-truck went off, killing six people on the spot.“The bang was so loud that it felt like a tremor. We all rushed out of our houses, fearing something bad had happened,” said Bhavani, a resident.
She told TNIE that Mudhenapalli, Chokkanapalli and Jangarapalli villages are situated around 2 km from the quarrying site, and locals are familiar with such blasts. But what was heard at 12.30 am on Tuesday, was different, far too loud and intense, frightening people around, she said.
The villagers rushed towards the quarry, from where the sound emanated. After reaching the spot, with the help of mobile torches, they saw the carnage and identified the victims.
The truck driver, who was critically injured, was struggling for life. The villagers immediately alerted the police and also called an ambulance, Bhavani said. Another resident Prakash said that the bang was loud and for the first few minutes, they could not guess where it came from.