At least 12 persons have been killed and five others injured in a powerful blast at a fireworks shed linked to the Thrissur Pooram in Keralam on Tuesday afternoon. The tragedy occurred around 3:30 PM at Mundathikkode, near Thrissur, where the fireworks storage facility of the Thiruvambadi Devaswom was located. According to initial reports, a massive explosion triggered a major fire, which was yet to be completely brought under control at the time of filing this report. Fire and rescue teams rushed to the spot and are continuing efforts to douse the flames and carry out rescue operations.
District Collector Sika Surendran has ordered a Revenue Divisional Officer-level inquiry into the incident to ascertain the cause of the blast and to examine possible lapses. Further updates are awaited as rescue efforts continue and the condition of the injured is closely monitored.
Most of those killed and injured are believed to be workers present inside the cracker shed at the time of the incident. Several of the injured are reported to be in critical condition, raising fears that the death toll may rise. Residents said the sound of the explosion was heard several kilometres away, causing panic in the surrounding areas. The exact cause of the blast is yet to be ascertained. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
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