The deceased has been identified as 60-year-old Shanmugaraj, who suffered 100 per cent burn injuries and succumbed in hospital.
A man was killed and seven others injured in a blast at an illegal firecracker unit at Thayilpatti in Virudhunagar district of Tamil Nadu on Friday, September 10, police said. The blast occurred at the residence of Balamurugan at Thayilpatti in the district’s Vembakottai taluk. The deceased has been identified as 60-year-old Shanmugaraj. Shanmugaraj, who suffered 100 per cent burn injuries, succumbed at the Sivakasi Government Hospital.
Sources told IANS that the manufacturing of firecrackers was taking place in a makeshift structure when the blast occurred due to mixing of chemicals. The injured, admitted to the same hospital, were identified as Balamurugan (30) who sustained 65 per cent burns, Muthurah (40), Muthuselvi (36), Seetha Lakshmi (38), Selvamary (40), Suganthi (24), and Muthumuneeswari (28). The incident came even as squads of Virudhunagar District Collector Meganatha Reddy, were conducting inspections of illegal firecracker units for the past two months.
Meanwhile, in early September this year, the Virudhunagar district administration had ordered to permanently close down 70 firecracker units operating illegally in the district. Upon investigation, officials found that the units had been violating safety rules in running the unit.
Four persons, including a pregnant woman and a child, had died in a blast at another illegal firecracker making unit in the same village earlier this year. In two separate incidents earlier this year, a total of 39 people died and many others were injured in Virudhunagar district.
According to district administration, the team constituted to investigate illegal firecracker units has held inspections at 758 units in different places of the district such as Aruppukotai, Srivilliputtur, Rajapalayam, Sattur, Sivakasi, Vembakottai.
After inspection, 49 firecracker units were issued notice. “They will be allowed to continue operations after they adhere to all the safety regulations laid out by the government,” said Virudhunagar district administration through a statement.
In another incident in September 2020, seven women were charred to death during a blast at a firecracker unit in Kattumannarkoil taluk of Cuddalore district.
With IANS inputs
Source: The News Minute