A 26-year-old youth, M. Ajith of Meenampatti, was killed in an accidental explosion while making crackers illegally inside a dysfunctional motor pump room in Chinnakollampatti near Sattur in the wee hours of Thursday.
Police said locals had heard a huge explosion at around 3 a.m. When the police combed the area after daybreak, they found the body of Ajith in the pump room amidst wild growth. Sattur Taluk police are investigating.
Virudhunagar Collector V.P. Jayaseelan said the accident had occurred on the motor pump room belonging to one Kalarani and a criminal case had been booked against the landowner.
The Collector warned against manufacturing crackers and black fuses in houses and other unlicensed places, and said stringent action would be taken against those involved in manufacturing and also against the landlords.
Similar action would be initiated against the licensees of fireworks units if they were found to have leased out their factories for manufacturing of fireworks goods to outsiders. The lessees would also be not spared, he warned.
The licence of the unit would be permanently cancelled and they would be banned for getting licence, he added.
Toll goes up
Meanwhile, the death toll in Wednesday’s fire accident at Thalamuthu Fireworks unit in Vachakarapatti near Sattur increased to three, with S. Saravanakumar, 25, succumbing to 90% burn injuries at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.
The other injured worker, S. Sundaramoorthi, 17, of Inamreddiyapatti, who had sustained 70% burns, is under treatment.
