VIRUDHUNAGAR: Nearly 25 hours after the launch of the rescue operation, the bodies of two women who were reported missing were recovered from the debris of the collapsed building at Nehruji Colony in Reserve Line in Sivakasi on Tuesday evening. The multi-storey building in a residential area collapsed on Monday afternoon following a massive explosion allegedly caused by firecrackers and chemicals stored illegally.
Sources said the bodies of the women — Hameedha (55) and Kartheeswari (33) — were found completely charred and were in an extremely damaged condition. “The bodies were beyond recognition. The toe ring worn by Kartheeswari was the sole object that helped identify the bodies,” they said.
The revenue officials, after questioning the two injured persons, Velmurugan (37) with 60 per cent injuries and Manoj Kumar (23) with 30 per cent injuries, undergoing treatment at Sivakasi Government Hospital confirmed apart from them, there were only two more persons inside the building when the explosion happened. The house owner Ramanathan (44) and his wife Panchavarnam (40) are reportedly on the run, said police sources.
The unit was allegedly run by Ramanathan in his house. He had allegedly obtained a licence for a pipe-making (pipes used for firecrackers) unit in the building. The residents in the area confirmed a pipe-making unit was functioning on the ground floor.
Five JCBs, three water tenders, 40 fire tenders under District Fire Officer (DFO) Ganesan and other vehicles were engaged in the rescue operation that lasted for over 25 hours. Around 40 police personnel were also deployed in the area. The rescue operation was suspended on Monday night following sudden rain and was delayed due to burning and explosion of chemicals and crackers stored in the building.
Sivakasi Town police sources said it was found that the owner of a private firecracker manufacturing unit Marimuthu and one Maniraj working at the said unit had allegedly supplied materials and chemicals for the illegal manufacturing. Police have registered a case against Panchavarnam, Marimuthu and Maniraj who are on the run. Earlier Tuesday morning, Collector J Meghanatha Reddy along with officials had conducted an inspection at the site.