A blast at a firecracker production unit in Kochi on Tuesday, February 28, killed one person and left six others injured. The blast occurred at Varapuzha around 4 pm, and the condition of three of the injured, which includes children, is reportedly critical. The first blast was followed by other explosions, and power supply to the area has been disconnected as a precautionary measure. Fire force units were deployed at the spot of the incident.
According to reports, the building of the production unit was completely gutted, and tremors of the blast were felt several kilometres away. Glass windows of houses in the locality were also reportedly damaged.
Describing the explosion at the firecracker unit at Varapuzha as “painful”, Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan said he had urged the Ernakulam district administration to intensify rescue operations and take other necessary measures. He added that the District Medical Officer has been asked to ensure proper treatment for all the injured, and the government should fully bear the treatment expenses. He said that the district administration should take necessary steps to repair houses and other establishments that suffered damage in the explosion.
Residents of Muttinakam, in Varapuzha grama panchayat, initially thought it was an earthquake that struck them due to the tremors felt by them. The sound of the huge blast, which brought down the godown and adjoining houses, was heard as far as 5 km away from the accident site, according to reports. Several people in the vicinity panicked and rushed out of their houses fearing it was an earthquake.