Virudhunagar
Prevalence of illegal fireworks units came to the fore when an accidental fire at an illegal shed led to the destruction of crackers kept in another illegal shed and burnt paper bundles kept in a neighbouring house at Thayilpatti under Vembakottai police station limits on Wednesday.
The police said that friction while making crackers at an asbestos-roofed shed belonging to G. Mariappan, 41, led to a minor explosion. In the impact of the fire, the asbestos sheets were destroyed and its pieces that flew off injured R. Guruvathai, 45, V. Guruvammal, 48, K. Karthigai Lakshmi, 28, and K. Vijayavarshini, 4.
All of them were treated as outpatients at a private hospital.
The police added that the fire that spread to a neighbouring shed and ignited finished crackers stocked there. This shed also went up in flames.
Fire and Rescue Services personnel from Vembakottai rushed to the spot and put out the flames. Vembakottai police are investigating.