A house under construction was gutted as firecrackers stored inside it exploded at Kundannur in the district, in the early hours of Tuesday. No one was injured.
Kundannur, a remote village near Wadakkanchery, is famous for production of traditional firecrackers. The house of pyrotechnician Panthalangattil Anandan was totally destroyed in the explosion. No one was injured in the accident. Nearby houses suffered extensive damage.
The crackers, stored in the house under construction, exploded by 3 a.m. The concrete beams, windows, and doors of the house were thrown out in the impact of blast.
The tremors of the explosion were felt around three kilometres, according to local people. Many people ran out of their houses suspecting it to be an earthquake.
The police are investigating about the orogins of the crackers and why they were stocked in the house. The police found firecracker materials from the debris. Anandan is a licensee for fireworks for many temples.