2 dead in fire at cracker unit in Theni

Two youths were burnt to death in a fire that broke out at a firecracker manufacturing unit in Cumbum in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district.

The deceased have been identified as Surya Prabhu (20), a native of Vadakkutti in Theni, and Dinesh alias Deena (22) from Puliyamarath. Two others, Ayyappan and Nagarjun, both natives of Cumbum, sustained serious injuries and have been admitted to Theni Medical College Hospital.

The incident occurred at ‘Lakshmi Crackers’, a firecracker manufacturing unit owned by a person named Tirupati, located on Kattupallivasal Road in Cumbum. The accident took place around 10 am on Saturday.

According to reports, the unit had remained closed for two days due to election-related holidays in Tamil Nadu. The four workers had reported for duty as usual on Saturday morning. Shortly after Surya and Dinesh entered a room where firecracker materials were stored, a fire broke out, triggering a massive explosion.

Both Surya and Dinesh died on the spot, with their bodies found charred and mutilated. The building was completely destroyed in the blast. The other two workers suffered severe injuries.

The explosion, accompanied by a loud noise, caused thick smoke to billow across the area. Fire and rescue personnel from Cumbum rushed to the scene and extinguished the fire. Vehicles parked near the unit were also damaged in the incident.

Theni police have registered a case and launched an investigation. The bodies of the deceased have been shifted to Theni Medical College for postmortem examination.