JOIN USFirecracker warehouse was a ticking time bomb, say residents
The Sri Pathrakali Ammani Lorry Service’s warehouse in the bustling New Tharagupet area of central Bengaluru was a time bomb just waiting to go off, according to residents.
The freight forwarding agency routinely stored firecrackers sourced from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh for distribution in Bengaluru and the surrounding areas, according to residents. And it’s these firecrackers, packed tightly in cartons, that are suspected to have triggered the explosion that killed two people and wounded four others on Thursday.
Solomon, a local resident, said the warehouse existed when he moved into the locality two years ago. “Firecrackers were routinely stored in the godown. We feared such an incident would happen someday,” he said.
Mani, the owner of Madhu Tea Stall, which has been destroyed in the explosion, confirmed that firecrackers were stored in the warehouse.
Mani was in his shop when he heard the sound of the blast and saw the nauseating flame. “I just fainted,” he recalled.
When he regained consciousness, he found himself under the open sky. Someone had carried him to another bylane. His staffer, Shahul, also lost consciousness and was similarly rescued.
New Tharagupet, part of old Bengaluru’s Pete areas, was limping back to normality after months of Covid-induced restrictions when the powerful explosion tore through its narrow bylanes. It came like a bolt from the blue.
The blast shattered buildings, including temples, within a 200-metre radius and its sound was heard about half a kilometre away.
Human body parts, broken furniture, footwear, shards of glass, foodstuffs and damaged vehicles among other things were strewn all over.
Saramma, living next door to the ill-fated warehouse, was on the second floor of the house with two of her granddaughters — Amy, 7, and Andrilla, 4 — when she heard the blast sound.
“My grandkids were terrified and started to cry in fear. We had no idea of what was happening outside,” she said. She ran to the balcony only to see billows of smoke, balls of fire and people running helter-skelter. She then heard windowpanes shattering in nearby buildings. Neighbours evacuated the children.
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