The death toll in the LPG tanker accident at Chala here on August 27 rose to seven on Thursday, with three more succumbing to their injuries in hospitals here.
Those who died on Thursday were Vazhayil Geetha, 42; K.M. Ramlath, 42, and her husband Razakh, 55. Geetha is the sister of Vazhayil Rama, 51, who had died at the Pariyaram Medical College Hospital (PMCH) on August 29. Omana, mother of Rama and Geetha, has been admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. Nirmala, 50, who had suffered critical burns, had died at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital on Wednesday. While Ramlath died at the PMCH in the morning, Razakh breathed his last at the hospital in the afternoon. Their two children Ramees and Rizwan are among those injured in the accident and admitted to the PMCH. Sreelatha, 48, and N. Abdul Azeez, 60, were the first to succumb to injuries on August 28.
The huge fire that broke out following the explosion of the tanker near Chala bypass at around 11 a.m. on August 27 had a devastating impact on the residents inhabiting within 500 metre radius of the spot of accident as it left many people injured with severe burns and gutted 20 houses and 23 shops.
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The bullet tanker carrying 18 tonnes of LPG on its way from Mangalore to Chelari in Kozhikode had met with the accident on Monday night. The entire Chala and nearby areas around six kms from the town are still to recover from the tragedy as they are burying or cremating their dead. Hundereds of people still continue to visit the spot of the accident when the families affected by the tragedy are still mourning. As many as 42 people have been injured in the accident and the condition of 14 of them are still said to be very critical. The bodies of Rama, Geetha and Ramlath were brought to the tragedy-struck Chala at around noon. Minister for Agriculture K.P. Mohanan visited the houses of the deceased in the morning. MLAs A.P. Abdullakutty, E.P. Jayarajan and James Mathew also visited the bereaved families.