Eight killed in fireworks mishap in Sivakasi

Eight persons were killed due to asphyxiation after they got stuck inside a private scan centre that was engulfed by thick smoke following a fire accident in a nearby cracker shop in Sivakasi on Thursday.

The police said that among the deceased were six women and two men. Six of the victims were employees of scan centre.

They were identified as A. Peter, manager of the scan centre, A. Kamatchi (22), G. Valarmathi, P. Pusphalakshmi, R. Raja and P. Padma Latha. Two others were identified as Devi (18) and H. Sornakumari, who had come to the scan centre.

The police said the fire was triggered by friction while loading crackers in a truck parked on the Virudhunagar ByPass Road here at around 1.30 p.m. The workers were loading the fireworks bundles from Ragavendra agency.

As the truck load of crackers started bursting, the goods inside the shop went up in flames. With thick smoke engulfing the area, patients, doctors and staff of Devaki Scan Centre, located on the rear side of the shop, got stuck inside.

“They could not come out of the centre as its pathway, adjacent to the shop, was on fire,” the Sivakasi Deputy Superintendent of Police, K. Saravanakumar, said.