Blast in Usilampatti cracker outlet kills one, injures 2 others

A 25-year-old man was killed and two others were injured after a portion of a two-story house collapsed in the wake of a cracker explosion near Usilampatti in Madurai district on Tuesday.

The deceased has been identified as D Ajith, a resident of Thengalpatti village, Checkanurani. The blast occurred around 11 am in the house, where crackers and explosive substances were stocked illegally at Nalliveeranpatti, sources said. 

The explosion left the victim’s body ripped into three pieces and his charred remains littering the ground at the accident site, Madurai Superintendent of Police V Baskaran said after inspecting the site.

The SP said that the victim approached house occupant L Praveen, who’s absconding, to buy crackers. Praveen used to market crackers in Sivakasi, where he had a counter and illegally hoarded stocks of fire crackers in the house. He used to sell country-made fire crackers to locals in Usilampatti for special occasions like temple festivals, weddings and moreover a kumbabishekam is scheduled in a temple at Pappapatti.

Besides, the explosion shattered the glass windows of the neighboring house. However, the first floor and ground floor of the house, where the accident occurred are intact. Further, the SP said crackers could not have been manufactured there, but he could have stored the items as ropes and gunny bags were found in the house.

Usilampatti Deputy Superintendent of Police Nallusamy said the wife of the one absconding and his mother were picked up. Those two injured, caused by debris, are out of danger and being admitted to Usilampatti GH . The injured are Vanitha (29) and her six-month-old girl baby Harshitha. 

Vanitha’s was feeding her child with food when the explosion occurred. Based on a complaint lodged by Nalliveeranpatti VAO, Usilampatti Town police have filed a case.

According to Usilampatti Station Fire Officer Thangam, a fire call was received at 11.15 am and the charred remains were found nearly 300 meters away from the house, he said.