In a tragic incident, eight people were killed, including six women when a blast took place at Sivakasi town in Virudhunagar district on Thursday.
The blast occurred due to the exploding of firecrackers. All the eight died due to suffocation caused by the smoke.
According to the officials, the firecrackers consignment were meant to be sold during Diwali. When the blast occurred the consignment was being unloaded from a vehicle and was being carried into the firecrackers shop by workers.
Police believe that the friction caused by the fancy crackers created the thick cloud of smoke that engulfed a scanning center situated in the same complex choking eight to death.
Around 50 people were caught inside the Devaki Scan Centre, while the employees of the cracker shop, Sri Raghavendra Agencies, and workers escaped from the spot.
“As the exit door of the cracker shop is near the entrance of the scan center, people could not escape it,” Virudhunagar collector A. Sivagnanam said.
"Only an hour after the blast did fire service officials and police manage to gain entry to the scan center by breaking a window. All eight died due to suffocation and another 13 are being treated in hospitals,” the collector said.
ALSO READ: 1 Dead & 4 Injured in Gas Cylinder Blast
BY M. DIVYA SRI
