<p>A sudden explosion in a fireworks factory near Mecheri in Tamil Nadu’s Salem District on Tuesday afternoon killed eight people including five women and critically injuring six others.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Tragedy struck the privately-owned unit which makes fire-crackers mostly for local Temple and other festivals. The blast took place in one of the work-sheds and the fire soon spread destroying the three units in the vicinity.<br /><br />While the firework unit’s license-holder, 35-year-old Shanthi, was killed in the explosion, the dead include four other middle-aged women, Sivakami, Thangam, Vijaya and Easwari, besides two boys, Surya,10, Kesavan,15, official sources said.<br /><br />The death toll could go up as six others in the premises including three children, Deepa, Vimala and Pavithra all aged around 11 years, two boys and a 40-year-old man have been admitted to the government hospital in Salem, sources said.<br /><br />The mishap occurred in one of the sheds where crackers are made with ammonium nitrate and charcoal, said Salem District Collector, K Maharabhushanam, who along with the District SP, Ashwin Kotnish, rushed to the spot to oversee the rescue and relief efforts. Officers told Deccan Herald that further investigations were on.<br /><br />It is suspected that a large number of children were among the dead and injured since Tuesday being a national holiday the children might have accompanied their parents to the work-place. However, investigations revealed that all workers were inter-related. <br /><br />Ironically, Shanthi’s husband, Saravanan, who was the original license holder, had died in a similar blast few years ago and the fireworks factory’s license was transferred to his wife in 2009, Kotnish pointed out, citing initial information flowing from the investigations. <br />“The license is now under renewal, but they are allowed to make fireworks even as the due process is on,” he said.</p>
<p>A sudden explosion in a fireworks factory near Mecheri in Tamil Nadu’s Salem District on Tuesday afternoon killed eight people including five women and critically injuring six others.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Tragedy struck the privately-owned unit which makes fire-crackers mostly for local Temple and other festivals. The blast took place in one of the work-sheds and the fire soon spread destroying the three units in the vicinity.<br /><br />While the firework unit’s license-holder, 35-year-old Shanthi, was killed in the explosion, the dead include four other middle-aged women, Sivakami, Thangam, Vijaya and Easwari, besides two boys, Surya,10, Kesavan,15, official sources said.<br /><br />The death toll could go up as six others in the premises including three children, Deepa, Vimala and Pavithra all aged around 11 years, two boys and a 40-year-old man have been admitted to the government hospital in Salem, sources said.<br /><br />The mishap occurred in one of the sheds where crackers are made with ammonium nitrate and charcoal, said Salem District Collector, K Maharabhushanam, who along with the District SP, Ashwin Kotnish, rushed to the spot to oversee the rescue and relief efforts. Officers told Deccan Herald that further investigations were on.<br /><br />It is suspected that a large number of children were among the dead and injured since Tuesday being a national holiday the children might have accompanied their parents to the work-place. However, investigations revealed that all workers were inter-related. <br /><br />Ironically, Shanthi’s husband, Saravanan, who was the original license holder, had died in a similar blast few years ago and the fireworks factory’s license was transferred to his wife in 2009, Kotnish pointed out, citing initial information flowing from the investigations. <br />“The license is now under renewal, but they are allowed to make fireworks even as the due process is on,” he said.</p>
