Four persons, including a 10-year-old boy, were killed and two others injured when a blast occurred in a firecracker unit at Poyyapakkam, near here, on Friday.
The incident occurred when the licensed owner of the unit, V. Bhaskar, 35, a resident of Pereechambakkam, was away, the police said.
The deceased were Bhaskar’s brother-in-law V. Angalan, 45, and nephew A. Thirukumaran, 10, both from Eraiyur; another relative S. Balasubramani, 23; and worker V. Rajadurai, 26. Bhaskar’s father D. Venkatesan, 65, and K. Muthammal, 60, were injured.
When Angalan and Thirukumaran came to the unit bringing food for Bhaskar, Venkatesan, Balasubramani and Rajadurai were making firecrackers.
Muthammal, who was tending cattle on a nearby farm, came to the unit to seek shelter from the heat. Suddenly, a blast occurred, killing Angalan and Thirukumaran on the spot, and razing the unit to the ground. Rajadurai died while being taken to hospital, while Balasubramani died on admission to Jipmer Hospital, Puducherry. Venkatesan and Muthammal were undergoing treatment at the JIMPER Hospital.
The cause was being probed, the police said.
