Ten workers lost their lives in a tragic explosion at a private fireworks factory in Kundayiruppu near Sattur in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district on Saturday. The blast occurred at around 12:30 p.m. at the Winner Fireworks unit, resulting in the complete destruction of five out of the 70 buildings on the premises. Nine of the victims were declared dead upon arrival at the Sivakasi government hospital, while one passed away during treatment. The deceased were identified as S. Ramesh, A. Karuppasamy, R. Ambika, M. Muthu, K. Aberaj, T. Murugajothi, V. Santharoobi, M. Gurusamy, M. Muniyasamy, and R. Jeya.
In addition to the fatalities, three workers sustained burn injuries and were admitted to the Virudhunagar and Sivakasi government hospitals. Their names were reported as S. Sivakumar, M. Muthukumar, and S. Rengammal.
Rescue and fire service personnel from Vembakottai and Sivakasi promptly responded to the scene to extinguish the fire. The Alangulam police, responsible for investigating the incident, have not yet registered a case. Furthermore, officials from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization, who surveyed the cracker unit, declined to release any information regarding their findings.
It was revealed by a police official and several workers that the number of workers present inside the unit’s rooms exceeded the permitted limit, potentially contributing to the incident. Following the tragedy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced compensation of ₹3 lakh for the families of the deceased and ₹1 lakh for each of the injured individuals.
The community is left mourning the loss of these workers and grappling with the aftermath of this devastating explosion in the fireworks factory. The incident also underscores the importance of strict adherence to safety regulations in hazardous work environments. Local authorities and regulatory agencies will no doubt continue to investigate the cause of the explosion and work to prevent similar tragedies in the future.