The death toll in the blaze at a fireworks manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district is now up to 19 as of Saturday morning. Over 30 persons are said to be injured, and several persons are still in critical condition. The police have formed special teams to trace the owner of the unit and the person to whom the unit was leased to.
The blaze in Sree Mariyammal firework unit in Achankulam village near Sattur, Virudhunagar started around 1 pm on Friday, when workers were filling chemicals for fancy fireworks. There were reportedly over 70 workers employed in the unit when the fire accident happened. The fire soon spread to other sheds in the unit, trapping several workers inside the building without a way to escape.
Speaking to TNM, a police officer from the Elayirampannai station said that 13 bodies have been identified and six bodies are yet to be identified. “Family members have reached the hospitals overnight also. We are hoping to complete the identification of remaining bodies soon. We are looking to get hold of the cracker unit owner and the lessee,” the officer added. All those who were injured in the fire were rushed to the government hospitals in Sivakasi and Sattur.
As per reports, the unit employed over 70 persons and it was leased to one Sakthivel, who is also missing. Of the 60 working sheds in the unit, 15 were completely damaged in the fire and 13 were partially damaged. After the fire started around 1 pm, personnel and equipment from three fire stations — Sattur, Vembakottai and Sivakasi — were rushed to the spot. Over 40 personnel were involved in putting out the fire and rescuing those trapped inside the unit, a district fire official had told TNM earlier.
Several political leaders expressed their condolences to the victims’ families. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh each to those who were severely injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of those who were killed in the blaze and Rs 50,000 each to those who suffered serious injuries.