Fireworks accident injures over 150 at temple festival in southern India’s Kerela; watch video

Over 150 people were injured, including eight seriously, in a fireworks accident during a temple festival near Neeleswaram in Kerela’s Kasaragod on late Monday, October 28, police said.

The injured have been taken to various hospitals in Kasaragod, Kannur, and Mangaluru, they said. The accident occurred at Veerarkavu Temple near Neeleswaram.

The District Collector, on Tuesday, October 29, said that those who were seriously injured had 80 percent burns.

#BREAKING A devastating fire incident occurred during the fireworks display at the Veerabhadra Temple festival in Neeleswaram, Kasaragod district of Kerala, resulting in injuries to 154 individuals, with 10 people reported in critical condition. pic.twitter.com/dBKtsyygh9

— Mahalingam Ponnusamy (@mahajournalist) October 29, 2024

“The cause of the accident is being ascertained. Samples have been collected from the site. A case was lodged,” he said.

He further said that according to a preliminary probe, the fireworks storage facility and the place where the crackers were being burst were close by.

“The safety precautions were not taken. The requirement of maintaining a minimum distance of 100 meters between the two was not followed. No permission was taken either for storage of fireworks,” he added.

According to the police, it is suspected that the accident occurred when the fireworks storage facility near Veerarkavu Temple caught fire.

The accident occurred around midnight, they said.

Meanwhile, a major fire broke out at a firecracker shop in Hyderabad on Sunday night. The incident in Ramkote area of the city triggered panic among people. A video of the incident has also gone viral.

Fire accident at Abids, Hyderabad.

Please be careful while buying crackers and using the crackers. pic.twitter.com/VRRSLTSRAa

— AP with CBN (@I_am_with_cbn) October 29, 2024

It showed fireworks exploding inside a shop as shoppers tried to flee.

Fortunately, no casualty was reported though the incident is currently under investigation.

(With inputs from CtoI News Desk.)