As a part of the annual temple festival, a huge fireworks ceremony was held at Paravur Puttingal Devi temple, near Kollam. The explosion was caused when the storehouse of the fireworks materials caught fire on Sunday (April 10) and led to the death of over 100 devotees.
Kollam Temple Fire: What we know till now
Tragedy in form of pyrotechnics
Disaster struck the crowded precincts of the Puttingal Devi Temple at Paravur, south of Kollam, around 3.30 a.m. on March 10 when an entire dump of fire crackers meant to be burst to mark the conclusion of the Meena-Bharani festival exploded, killing over 100 persons, maiming many more and causing extensive damage to nearby buildings. Read more
What eyewitnesses say
Eyewitnesses said disaster struck when a cracker meant to explode in the air fell to the ground, sending sparks flying in all directions. The sparks reached the storehouse, igniting fireworks stored there. The explosion that followed brought down a building and caused damage to several structures in the vicinity.The explosion was followed by power disruption, which left the crowd clueless about the magnitude of the tragedy for some time. However, the locals swung into action, extricating bodies from the debris and pulling out the injured, many of whom did not survive the journey to hospitals.
Pyrotechnics display was conducted despite ban
The Kerala Fire and Rescue Services had not given clearance for the fireworks display. The Director General, Kerala Fire and Rescue Services, Lokanath Behera visited the site to assess the situation and Director, Technical, E. B. Prasad has been asked to submit a report. A preliminary investigation at the site revealed that banned chemicals were used for the pyrotechnics, reportedly for louder crackers. Read more
- » The materials for the display were stored in the Thekke kambapura (southern fireworks storehouse) on the left side of the temple. Trouble began when preparations were being made for starting the suryakanti pyrotechnics. It involves seven-stage fireworks in the air, which finally explodes to take the shape of a sunflower ( suryakanti ). > Read more
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Case registered
The Paravur police have registered a case against the temple authorities and the fireworks contractor, who is stated to have suffered 80 per cent burns and is undergoing treatment at the medical college hospital. Police said five workers associated with the contractor of the fireworks display have been taken into custody.
›Survivor recounts horror tale
›Centre and State react