Bakery blast chars dreams

The fire at a bakery in Kodungaiyur, which led to a cylinder blast on July 15, has plunged several families into immeasurable sorrow, who, having lost  breadwinners, now stare at an uncertain future. 

Nearly two weeks after the incident, the predominantly lower middle-class neighbourhood in Kodungaiyur is still reeling from the shock. The fire, which escalated after the cylinder inside burst when the shutter was opened, touched the lives of onlookers and passers-by alike. 

Many of the victims who succumbed to the burns sustained, were passing by or had rushed in to help. They had been the key decision makers and backbone of their families, most of whom have limited means. Now, as the death toll increases to 12, it translates from mere statistics to households shattered. There is a question mark on their future, with rents to be paid, school fees to be arranged and the unending business of making ends meet. 

While the government had announced a solatium of one lakh rupees each to the families of the victims, many say the amount will not suffice. Others hope for a government job, which will help the survivors run their households. 

Meanwhile, officials from the Tamil Nadu Fire & Rescue Services (TNFRS), said that they often find it difficult to disperse the crowds, that gather due to curiosity or to click photographs. A TNFRS official said, “Whenever an accident occurs, we get support from the nearest police station. There were five police personnel trying to disperse close to 50 people. This makes our job even more difficult.” 

When the minor fire accident took place in the bakery, which is like thousands of others in the city, no one anticipated that it would turn into a great tragedy, claiming the lives of onethird of those who sustained injuries.