Six women perish in fire accident near Sivakasi

SIVAKASI: Six women perished in a fire accident near Sivakasi on Wednesday evening as the van they were travelling in caught fire.
The women were returning after their work in a fireworks manufacturing unit at Meenampatti near Sivakasi and the accident occurred on Karseri in Parapatti – Naranapuram Road near Sivakasi at around 7.30 pm. Police sources at Sivakasi East Police Station said the van had toppled and caught fire.
Further investigation revealed that discarded fireworks were being burnt on the roadside at Karseri and there was thick smog. Usually, the fireworks units discard the unfinished products of the day in secluded places but in this case, it was dropped on the roadside. As it was a battered road and the van driver had not noticed a huge pothole on the road due to the smog, he lost control of the vehicle. The van toppled and fell on the burning fireworks waste. The vehicle immediately caught fire. Six of the workers were engulfed in fire and perished while eight more workers - all women - sustained burn injuries. They were rushed to Centre of Excellence to Treat Burn Injuries in Sivakasi.
The dead women were identified as M Murugeswari, 38, from Sivakasi, K Irulammal, 70, M Vijayakumari, 24, G Kanaka, 45, from Pallapatti and Kaliammal, 70, and Parameswari, 37, whose native place is yet to be identified, police sources said. The van driver managed to escape from the vehicle and fled. Sivakasi East Police registered a case and were looking out for the absconding driver. District collector V Rajaraman and senior police officials inspected the accident spot.
Hospital sources said the six were brought dead with severe burn injuries while eight others suffered burn injuries ranging from 5% to 40%. Among the eight, only three have suffered 40% burn injuries and rest have suffered minor injuries.
"All of them are stable and we are providing the best of care. The injured are not in a dangerous condition and they will live," said joint director of health W R S Thangasamy who is treating the patients with team of doctors.