Fireworks explode in Kerala temple: 106 killed, 383 hurt

PM Modi rushes to site, calls tragedy ‘heart-rending’

Kerala woke up Sunday to the biggest fireworks tragedy in its history as nearly 106 persons were killed and over 383 others injured in an explosion at a fireworks display as part of the Meenbharani festival of Puttingal Devi Temple at Paravur in Kollam, about 45 km from the state capital, in the early hours on Sunday. The fireworks display took place despite no permission having being granted by the authorities.

The impact of the fireworks was felt more than 1 km from the temple. The toll rose after a concrete room, where the explosives were stored, was shattered and concrete blocks bombarded surrounded areas. Many people suffered burn injuries too. The walls of several houses and many other buildings around the temple were also shattered in the explosion. Some people were killed in the stampede that followed the incident.

A judicial probe by a retired high court judge was ordered by the Kerala government along with an investigation by the crime branch into the tragedy, chief minister Oommen Chandy announced after an emergency Cabinet meeting held over the tragedy. Police sources said a case had been registered against the temple authorities under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the IPC and under Section 4 of the Explosives Substances Act.

The chief minister also announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 10 lakhs to the next of kin of each of those killed in the fire tragedy, Rs 2 lakhs for the seriously injured and Rs 50,000 for those with minor injuries. This is in addition to the Rs 2 lakhs for the families of the dead announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who rushed to Kerala on Sunday to take stock of the situation and visit the injured. He termed the incident as “heart-rending” and “shocking”.

Two women were among those killed. The impact of the explosion was such that a heavy concrete block fell on a person riding a two-wheeler 1 km away from the temple. Apart from the “padakkapura”, or explosive storehouse, a temple committee office, Sree Narayana Guru Mandiaram and part of the temples of sub-deities were also badly damaged. The glass panes of houses near the temple were broken and some houses within 1 km of the temple were found to have developed cracks.

The fireworks started at around 11.30 pm on Saturday and the tragic explosion took place at 3.15 am Sunday. Since the explosion took place towards the end of the fireworks, the quantum of explosives in the fireworks storage room was small and more than 50 per cent of those who turned up for the festival had left. The casualties would have been far higher if it had happened earlier, the locals said.

The explosion is said to have occurred after a spark from a fireworks device fell on another inflammable device that was set ready near the explosives storage room, and from it the fire spread to the explosives in the storage room. “It all happened in a fraction of second. A huge fire ball engulfed the entire area and concrete blocks rained all over the place,” recalled Subash, who was watching the incident from the balcony of his house in the vicinity of the temple.

Most victims were those who came from distant areas and were sitting on the temple ground to watch the fireworks. The locals said even though the authorities had advised people to keep a safe distance, most viewers defied it. The local residents, as well as autorickshaw and bus drivers began rescue operations, rushing the injured to hospitals in Thiruvanathapuram and Kollam districts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived at the Kerala capital at around 2,50 pm, immediately flew to Kollam by a helicopter and went straight to the tragedy site at the temple, where he was briefed by the chief minister, state home minister Ramesh Chennithala and N.K. Premachandran, MP. The PM visited the injured in the Kollam district hospital and later attended a meeting of officials. Mr Modi returned to Thiruvananthapuram in the evening and headed straight for the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, where he enquired about the condition of the injured. He was accompanied by Union ministers J.P. Nadda and Rajiv Pratap Rudy, besides the CM and his Cabinet colleagues.

After the visit, Mr Modi said: “It is such a horrendous tragedy. We can’t believe that death can come in such a horrific way. People got injured in such large numbers. I went to the incident site, went to Kollam hospital and met the chief minister. I express my condolences to the families who have lost their near and dear ones. I wish speedy recovery to the injured. I have told the chief minister if the injured required specialist treatment, then the Centre will rush them from Mumbai or Delhi.”