ALAPPUZHA: Two persons were killed on Wednesday after a house, where crackers were stored, exploded in a fire incident at Cherthala near here.
The deceased has been identified as Thomas, 65, of Suryapally house, Kuruppamkulangara and Maniyamma, 40, of Nikarthil house, Cherthala. Thomas was the owner of a cracker unit, while Maniyamma was an employee there.
Cherthala police said the accident happened at 3 pm when the fire broke out at the house, where the crackers were kept.
The crackers were shifted to the house after Thomas closed his shop for renovation. The house was completely gutted in the explosion.
At the time of mishap, Thomas and Maniyamma were making crackers. Thomas’ younger son Thomson, 26, who was sleeping inside the house when fire broke out, had a narrow escape.
Thomas was burnt to death on the spot, while Maniyamma succumbed to burns while taking her to Kottayam Medical College Hospital from Cherthala Taluk Hospital. Thomas’ wife Elsamma, 55, and his son Johnson, the licensee, were not at the house when the incident occurred.
The body of Thomas has been shifted to the mortuary of Cherthala Taluk HQ Hospital, while that of Maniyamma was being kept at the mortuary of Kottayam Medical College Hospital.