Sivakasi Blast: Two Dead in Illegal Fireworks Unit; Search for Missing Workers
Two workers were killed and another seriously injured in an explosion at an illegal fireworks unit operating from a shed near Sengamalapatti in Sivakasi on Sunday. Authorities are searching for two additional persons believed to have been working at the unit.
The deceased have been identified as R. Ramprakash, 36, of Sengamalapatti, and an unidentified male. The injured, R. Ramachandran, 38, Ramprakash's elder brother, sustained 75% burns and is in critical condition at the Virudhunagar Government Medical College hospital.
The Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services responded quickly, with Station Officer T. Seenivasan leading the team. The blaze was brought under control after an extended operation. A van parked near the shed was gutted, and a two-wheeler was partially burnt.
Residents reported a loud blast around 8:30 a.m., followed by white fumes visible for kilometres. Parts of the van were found about 20 metres from the explosion site. Fire personnel noted that one worker was completely charred inside the shed, while the other was blown apart. Window panes of two nearby houses were shattered.
Neighbours expressed shock, saying they were unaware of the illegal manufacturing unit. Muthulakshmi, a 51-year-old resident, stated, 'We had seen them running a nursery and fetching water from a nearby well. We never suspected they were making firecrackers illegally.'
Virudhunagar MLA P. Selvam arrived at the scene to oversee rescue operations. He revealed that the Sivakasi East police had uncovered 10 similar illegal units in recent weeks. With Deepavali approaching, he urged Superintendent of Police Gautam Goyal to intensify inspections to prevent further accidents.
Police said Ramprakash and Ramachandran owned the farmland and well and had set up the unit secretly. Operations began at 3 a.m., using free electricity meant for agriculture to power the shed. As relatives reported missing persons, firemen used drones to search nearby farmlands and also attempted to pump water from the well to check if victims were thrown in by the blast. The Sivakasi East police have launched an investigation.
Separately, a fire broke out at a licensed fireworks unit, Jai Vinayaka Sparklers, at Pernaickenpatti near Sivakasi within an hour of the first explosion. No workers were present as it was a Sunday. The blaze destroyed boxes and packing materials but was extinguished by firemen from the Sivakasi station. A short circuit is suspected as the cause.
