TN: 4 killed in blast at illegal fireworks unit

Virudhunagar (TN): Four people, including a five-year-old boy, were killed and one injured in a blast at an illegal fireworks unit near Sattur in this district on Monday, police said.

Two persons including the owner of the house, where the blast took place, were arrested in connection with the incident.

The blast occurred at the house in Thayilpatti in Vembakottai police station limits in Sattur, where the illegal fireworks manufacturing unit was being operated.

The explosion, which was caused due to friction of finished and unfinished fireworks, killed two women who were working there and a five-year-old boy, police added. One person later succumbed to injuries.

The deceased were identified as A Selvamani (33), her son Ragabiya Solomon (5) and Karpagam (34).

Selvamani's husband Surya, who sustained injuries in the blast, died at a hospital. Another woman has been admitted to the Sivakasi government general hospital with injuries. The women were said to be working at the alleged illegal unit run by Surya and Prabhakar.

Fire tenders were immediately rushed to put out the fire. The house and two other houses in the neighbourhood were damaged in the incident, police said. The owner of the house Prabhakar and another person Apollo have been arrested for operating the

illegal unit.