A fireworks accident during a temple festival near Neeleswaram in Kerala’s Kasaragod district injured over 150 people. Eight of the injured suffered serious wounds, according to police sources.
Incident Details
Authorities took the injured victims to various hospitals in Kasaragod, Kannur, and Mangaluru. The accident likely happened when a fireworks storage facility near Veerarkavu Temple caught fire around midnight.
#Kasargod Firecracker room caught fire at veerakaav temple https://t.co/3tqCteOJXf pic.twitter.com/4TU0dkLZOb
— 𝖆𝖓𝖚𝖕 (@anupr3) October 28, 2024
Emergency Response
Top officials from the district administration, including the collector and the district police chief, quickly arrived at the scene. They are investigating the cause of the fire. Local communities are also coming together to support the victims and their families.
Hospital Admissions
Reports indicate that five individuals at Kanhangad District Hospital are in critical condition. Local reports stated that 33 patients went to the district hospital. Nineteen people were admitted to Aishal Hospital in Kanhangad, while twelve went to Arimala Hospital.
Sanjeevani Hospital received 40 patients. Another 11 were sent to Nileshwar Taluk Hospital, and five went to Aster MIMS Hospital in Kannur. The district administration noted that more injured individuals were admitted to hospitals in Mangaluru and the Government Medical College Hospital in Pariyaram, Kannur.
Eyewitness Accounts
Eyewitnesses reported that the incident occurred during a fireworks display at the Moolamkuzhi Chamundi Theyyam festival. A misfired cracker struck a building storing explosives, causing a massive explosion. The blast ignited a fire that injured many bystanders, including women and children who had gathered to watch the Theyyam performance.