Thiruvananthapuram: Over 150 people were injured, including 10 in critical condition, after a fireworks accident at a temple in Kerala’s Kasaragod district late last night. Shocking visuals from the scene captured firecrackers igniting a massive blaze and smoke cloud, with people rushing for safety on the temple grounds.
The incident took place at Anjootambalam Veerekavu during celebrations marking the start of the festive season in the north Malabar region.
Eyewitnesses reported that a fireworks display was underway around midnight when one of the firecrackers likely fell into a nearby shed where more were stored. The crowd was stunned as the shed burst into flames and thick smoke filled the air.
Priyesh was at the temple with his cousins for the festival. “It began with a loud blast, followed by a ball of fire. Suddenly, there was panic everywhere. The crowd was massive, and many people standing near the shed couldn’t move freely. We immediately started rushing people to nearby hospitals,” he shared, as reported by Manorama Online.
Sreerag, a temple affiliate who traveled from Bengaluru to attend the festival, was managing the crowd when he heard the explosion. “We usually expect a large crowd on the festival’s second day, but on Monday night, the crowd was unusually big.”
He noted that Chinese crackers were stored in the shed and suspected a spark from a flower cracker may have ignited them.
Local residents told Manorama that the storage area was close to where the fireworks display took place. Panchayat representatives criticized the lack of precautions. “This is a small-scale event, not a major fireworks display. Still, there should have been better precautions regarding the distance between the shed and where crackers were burst,” said local ward member E Shajeer, according to Manorama Online.
Kasaragod Collector Inbasekar K stated that firecrackers should have been stored at least 100 meters away from the display area.
Police have taken two temple committee officials into custody.
