Three killed in blast in fireworks unit in Cuddalore

CUDDALORE: Three people, including two women, were killed in an explosion at a fireworks unit in the district on Wednesday.
Police said eight workers were making fireworks at a licensed unit at Adooragaram, near Kurunjipadi, on Wednesday in view of the increased orders during election time. When they were mixing chemicals to be stuffed into the fireworks, a spark caused by extreme heat led to a massive explosion.
The blast razed down the shed of the fireworks unit. The charred body of M Valli, 40, from Ellappanpettai, was found in the debris.
S Palaniammal, 60, and D Anjapuli, 50, both from Adooragaram, died at the Kurunjipadi government general hospital. Five others were later referred to the Cuddalore government hospital. As two of them, C Sivanandam, 24, and B Bhuvaneswari, 35, were said to be in a critical condition, they were moved Jipmer in Puducherry.
The others, R Ragothaman, 35, M Balaji, 24, and S Devaki, 50, are undergoing treatment at Cuddalore GH. All the five injured people hail from Ellappanpettai.
Police registered cases against Padamvathi, the license holder of the fireworks unit, on charges of causing death due to negligence.
On February 19, two people were killed when fireworks stored at a temple exploded at Jawad Hills in Vellore district.