Four killed in Sivakasi cracker unit accidents

Four workers were killed and six others injured in separate fire accidents reported in two cracker units in Vembakottai Taluk of Virudhunagar district on Friday.

The condition of at least four injured is said to be critical.

Violation of safety norms has caused both the fatal accidents according to the initial investigation done by the District Revenue Officer, I. Anandakumar.

In the accident at ARV fireworks, Ramuthevanpatti, at 11.45 a.m., the crackers were made outside the licensed premises of a cracker unit.

“Mishandling of crackers while being loaded into a van had led to the fire accident,” said Mr. Anandakumar.

K. Sekar, 38, and P Ravi, 47 were killed on the spot. K. Senthil, 37, and M. Palanichamy, 38 sustained 70% and 50% burns.

In the other accident reported at SKS fireworks in Kakkivadanpatti , the workers had mixed the chemicals at around 1.30 p.m. when the atmospheric temperature was high as against the safety norms that stipulates the mixing to be done early in the morning, he added.

S. Subramani, 32, of Maraneri and B. Deivanai, 27, of Kannarpatti were killed on the spot. Among the four injured, M. Ganapathi, 30, of Kichanaickenpatti and G. Muthumari, 31 of Sivakasi sustained 100% burns.

The DRO inspected both the accident sites and also the injured at the Government Hospital.

The Fire and Rescue Services personnel from Sivakasi, led by its Station Fire Officer, K. Murugan, put out the fire in both the spots. A van was destroyed at Ramuthevanpatti, he said.

Only on Thursday, a worker was killed in an explosion at a fireworks unit in the district.