Their bodies were dismembered and found 200 meters away
Their bodies were dismembered and found 200 meters away
Five workers, including a woman, were torched in a powerful explosion on Thursday at a fireworks unit near Karumathur in Madurai district.
R. Raghupati Kondammal, 58, S. Vallarasu, 20, P. Ammasi, 45, G. Gopi, 20 and K. The body parts of Vicky, 25, were seen in different directions at a distance of about 200 meters.
The workers were involved in mixing chemicals to make aerial firecrackers at a shed of the VBM Fireworks Unit in Azhagusirai when the blast occurred around 1.30 pm, police said.
Fire tenders from Thirumangalam and Usilampatti reached the spot.
However, the fire was not extinguished by the time firefighters reached the spot, said Deputy Director, Fire and Rescue Services, (Madurai region), N. Vijaykumar said.
Under the impact of the explosion, two working sheds collapsed, one of them partially damaged.
The debris flying in all directions hit the workers sitting outside the shed to have lunch and they sustained injuries.
Apart from firemen, police and health workers went around the huge fireworks unit in search of body parts collected in plastic baskets.
“We found some parts of the body in a nearby field,” said one of them.
One of the working sheds was razed after a blast at a fireworks unit at Azhaghu Sirai near Karumathur in Madurai district on Thursday. , photo credit: R Ashok
13 injured in accident
Thirumangalam Tehsildar S. According to Shivaram, a total of 13 people, including eight men and six women, were injured in the accident.
The condition of six of the injured is said to be critical and they have been admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital. Others have been admitted to the government hospital in Thirumangalam.
Identification of the injured a. Karuppasamy, 30, K. Angammal, 45, J. Mahalaxmi, 38, A. Jayapandi, 36, M. Pachiyammal, 40, V. Karuppai, 42, P. Annalakshmi, 32, K. Mayathevan, 45 and J. Pandiyammal, 50.
He has suffered bleeding injuries on his face, head, limbs and hip.
5 lakh solatium given
Registration Minister P. Murthy directed District Collector S. Anish Shekhar reached the spot and consoled the families of the dead and injured.
The minister also handed over a check of Rs 5 lakh each to the legal heirs of the deceased.
Thirumangalam MLA RB Udayakumar also inspected the accident site and appealed to the collector to provide compensation to the injured and provide them high quality treatment.
T. Chellakannu of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), who reached the spot, said that the government should ensure adequate security measures in such units. He demanded government jobs for the family members of the deceased and more care for the injured.
Deputy Inspector General of Police (Madurai), R. Ponni and the Superintendent of Police, R. Shiva Prasad supervised the rescue operation.
