Chennai: In a tragic incident, nine were killed and many others sustained serious burns, in an explosion at a fire cracker manufacturing unit at Kurungudi near Kattumannarkovil in Cuddalore district Friday.
Sources said seven women, including the country-made cracker making unit owner Gandhimathi (57), were killed in the explosion and two women were being treated at the hospital.
Reports from Cuddalore said while five women were killed on the spot, two others succumbed to severe burns at the Kattumannarkovil Government Hospital, where the condition of two other women was said to be critical.
The impact of explosion was such that the cracker unit was completely razed to the ground. The concrete structure, including the roof and the walls, collapsed and everything was gutted.
The explosion was so severe that the limbs of the victims were severed and flung far away.
A few of them had suffered over 80 per cent burns and were charred beyond recognition. Local residents said that the explosion could be heard upto a distance of about five km.
Affter the Covid-induced lockdown norms were relaxed, the cracker unit resumed manufacturing of crackers.
Before starting work, they had a pooja in the unit where last years stock were kept and accidentally the crackers caught fire leading to a massive explosion.
The deceased were identified as as C.Gandhimathi, U Chithra (45), M Raasathi (50), N Latha (42), P Malarkodi (25), R Rukmani (38) and R Rathnamal (60), all natives of Kurungudi village.
District Collector Chandra Sekhar Sakhamuri and Superintendent of Police M Sree Abhinav visited the spot and held preliminary inquiries.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, expressed anguish and grief over the deaths and announced a solatium of Rs two lakh each to the seven family members.
In a statement here, he said soon after hearing about the tragedy, he directed Industries Minister M C Sampath and the District Collector to undertake the relief works and ensure quality treatment to the injured, besides consoling the bereaved family members.
Palaniswami, while expressing his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members, announced a solatium of Rs two lakh each to their family from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief fund.