VIRUDHUNAGAR: Three people were killed and one was severely injured after a blast at a firecracker unit in the Oorampatti area near Sivakasi. Sources said more than 50 employees were working in the unit, which has around 20 rooms, in the wee hours of Thursday.
"Kumaresan, Sundarraj, Irulayee, and Iyyammal were mixing the chemicals in the unit owned by Kadarkarai, a resident of Pallapatti. The fire broke out due to friction and killed Kumaresan and Sundarraj on the spot. Irulayee and Iyyammal were taken to the government hospital in Sivakasi. However, within a few hours, Iyyammal lost her life without responding to the treatment," said sources. Marampatti Police registered a case and an inquiry is on.
The families of the deceased staged a protest in front of the hospital refusing to receive the bodies. They demanded Chief Minister MK Stalin to give Rs 25 lakh as solatium to each of the deceased's families. Stalin expressed his condolences to the bereaved family members and announced a solatium of Rs 3 lakh each to the deceased's families and Rs 50,000 compensation for the injured person's family. He also announced a solatium of Rs 3 lakh to the family of A Senthilkumar (35) who lost his life in a firecracker unit blast at Pannaipatti near Vembakottai on Wednesday.