Kerala Temple Fire: A tragic fireworks accident during a temple festival in Neeleswaram has resulted in over 150 injuries, with eight individuals reported to be in serious condition. The incident occurred late Monday night, prompting immediate action from local authorities.
The incident took place during the Theyam Ket Mahotsav at Anjutambalam Veerarkav.
According to police reports, the chaos ensued when a fireworks storage facility near the Veerarkavu Temple ignited. The explosion took place around midnight, sending shockwaves through the community.
District Collector Impashekhar told News18 Malayalam that the condition of eight people injured in the accident is serious.
According to videos shared on social media, a huge explosion occurred and the fireworks exploded like a huge ball of fire. People were seen running helter-skelter from the temple.
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Emergency services swiftly transported the injured to various hospitals in Kasargod, Kannur, and Mangaluru. The injured were taken to Kanhangad District Hospital, Nileswaram Taluk Hospital, private hospitals in the district and Mangaluru and Pariyaram Medical College.
Top district administration officials, including the district collector and the police chief, have arrived at the scene to assess the situation and coordinate the ongoing response efforts.
According to Manorama Online, the fireworks were allegedly set off within temple premises without permission. Further, the Malayalam daily also informs that there were no permission granted for firecrackers.
Kerala Police has taken the temple president and secretary into custody, the report added.
News18 Malayalam has reported that the Kerala Police's initial conclusion is that the sparks from bursting firecrackers during the Kaliyatta festival fell into the place where the firecrackers were kept.
The police have registered a case and started investigation.
On Monday, five children were injured in Pune's Sinhgad area after the lid of a drain chamber blew up when they burst firecrackers on it, a police official said.
The Kerala government has issued an order restricting the use and bursting of firecrackers on Diwali, Christmas, and New Year. The timing has been restricted for a maximum of two hours: between 8.00 pm and 10.00 pm on Diwali on October 31 and between 11.55 pm and 12.30 am on Christmas and New Year. It has also been ordered that only the sale of green crackers will be permitted in the state.
