THRISSUR: Panthalangat Satheesh, 46, the licensee for Thiruvambady’s fireworks and the owner of the firecracker making unit at Mundathicode where the blast occurred, died on Friday at the Thrissur MCH where he was on ventilator support.
With his death, the number of deaths in the blast has gone up to 15.
Satheesh had suffered 90% burns in the blast. It was on April 21 that a blast ripped through the 2.5-acre plot housing five cracker manufacturing tents and turned them to ashes. Satheesh served as the contractor for fireworks display of Thiruvambady devaswom for about 8 years.
In 2024, he also got a rare opportunity to be the licensee of both Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu devaswoms, which no other fireworks specialists can claim.
Satheesh’s father Panthalangat Mani was the first to venture into firecracker making from their family.
“Mani first started as a labourer in a firecracker unit near Wadakkanchery. He then started his own business and became popular over the years. For Mani, it began as a livelihood and later helped him prosper financially. It was Mani who bought the 2.5-acre land at Mundathicode and set up the firecracker manufacturing unit. After Mani died of cancer, Satheesh took up the business,” said Subrahmanian, an elder in the family.
“In his decades of experience, there were no incidents of accidents ever from Satheesh’s unit as he did everything with such precision. When we think about it, we feel shocked and doubtful as to what caused the accident,” added Subrahmanian.
Satheesh is survived by wife Praji Satheesh, children Neha and Navami, and mother Kamalakshi.
The cremation will be held at his residence on Saturday after keeping the mortal remains for public to pay homage at DVLP School, Mundathicode.
10 deceased identified
The total death toll in the Mundathicode blast rose to 15, of which 10 have been identified, including Panthalangat Satheesh – licensee for Thiruvambady’s fireworks and the owner of the firecracker making unit
An amount of J10,000 has been disbursed as immediate relief for families of each victim. Remaining amount will be disbursed once families produce a legal heirship certificate.
Radhika Suresh Gopi, managing trustee of Lakshmi Suresh Gopi MP’s Initiative Trust also has announced that an amount of J1 lakh will be given to the families of victims of the Mundathicode blast.