9 killed in Sivakasi cracker depot fire

Most of the victims were visitors to the scan centre who died of suffocation as smoke engulfed the entire area. It is said that fire broke out at the depot owned by Anandraj and Shenbagaraj when workers were loading crackers onto a mini lorry in the afternoon. 

The deceased have been identified as Basker, Raja, Swarnakumari, Devi, Kamakshi, Pushpalatha, Padmalatha, and Valarmathi. While five are said to have died on the spot, four others including Janakiraman, a doctor employed at the scan centre, died on the way to Madurai GRH. Fifteen people are undergoing treatment at Sivakasi GH. 

As crackers began to explode, the workers of the depot allegedly fled the spot. Soon, the fire spread to the entire depot and within minutes it was up in flames. The fire quickly spread to the nearby scan centre where more than 30 patients were present at that time. 

Virudhunagar Collector Sivagnanam and SP Rajarajan visited the spot and the hospital and consoled the kin of the deceased. Rajarajan said that a case has been registered against Anandraj and Shenbagaraj. About 20 two-wheelers of an auto dealer were also damaged in the accident.