The Hindu : Front Page : Death toll in Madurai cracker unit blast goes up to 17

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Thursday, Jul 09, 2009
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Death toll in Madurai cracker unit blast goes up to 17

D. Karthikeyan

— Photo: S. James

inconsolable: N.Mathivanan, Madurai Collector, handing over a cheque towards compensation to the kin of a fire victim, at the Collectorate on Wednesday.

MADURAI: The death toll in Tuesday’s firecracker unit blast in Vadakkampatti near Madurai rose to 17 on Wednesday, as an unidentified body was recovered from the explosion site and brought to the Government Rajaji Hospital.

Several of those who were injured and admitted to the hospital were in stable condition.

Twenty-two patients, including a 14-year-old girl and a boy, three 16-year-old boys, one 17-year-old girl, 7 men and 8 women were undergoing treatment in the hospital for burns, head and spine injuries.

M. K. Azhagiri, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, rushed from Delhi and visited the GRH and later the Vadakkampatti village.

Mr. Azhagiri spent more than half an hour in the hospital, visiting the patients in the Head Injuries Ward and Emergency Ward.

Condolences

He consoled the relatives of victims and the injured, who were present in huge numbers. He expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased.

The Union Minister said Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had asked him to immediately go to Madurai and announce that Rs 1 lakh each would be given to the kin of the deceased from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and for the injured compensation would be based on the nature of injuries.

S. M. Sivakumar, Dean (in-charge), said a patient, Silambarasan (16), had 90 per cent burns and a woman’s hand was amputated. Four patients had 40 per cent burns.

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