Thrissur Pooram Fireworks Unit Explodes: Blasts Go On, Toll Hits 13

The explosion happened around 3:30 pm at a unit where firecrackers were being prepared for the event. According to the State Disaster Management Authority, five bodies were recovered, along with unidentified remains of three others. District officials confirmed that the unit was assembling fireworks for Thiruvambady Devaswom, one of the two main organisers of the celebrated festival.

“I fell off my chair immediately after the huge explosion. We thought it was an earthquake. Once we gathered our composure and stepped outside, people told us about the incident. Several injured individuals were lying in the paddy field. People rushed over and carried them in bed sheets to the ambulances. The firecrackers from this unit were also meant to be used for a church festival this evening,” said Haridasan, who lives near the manufacturing unit.

Wilson, a firecracker expert with 48 years of experience, recalled, “I was busy with my work when I suddenly saw a spark and something shooting up. We all ran for our lives as a series of blasts erupted behind us. The heat wave and scorching sun might have been factors in triggering the explosion.” Just three hours earlier, a regional TV crew had visited Wilson, who is also known as Vedikettu Wilson, and his team at the manufacturing unit. He even sang a song on camera, and the whole group was in a celebratory mood.

District Collector Shikha Surendran said, “Our immediate priority is to save lives and check if any workers are trapped in the area. We are cordoning it off to keep people away from danger. A magisterial probe has been ordered to look into all aspects of the incident. Arrangements are in place, and explosive department experts are being called to inspect the site and conduct an audit.”

Thrissur Medical College authorities told the media that 12 bodies had been brought to the hospital, along with some severed parts. Five people are in critical condition, including one with 90 percent burns who is on a ventilator. Most of the injured have burns covering more than 70 percent of their bodies.

A control room has been established at the medical college, with the contact number 8075011853 for updates on the injured. Isolation wards, a burns ward, and isolation zones have been arranged to handle any emergencies. A team of 30 surgeons, including plastic surgeons, is on duty to treat the injured. Authorities estimate that about 30 to 40 workers were in the area at the time of the blast. The incident was first reported by four workers who survived because they had stepped out to get water at a nearby house.

Right after the incident, fire tenders and ambulances rushed to the scene. Ongoing blasts made it hard for rescue workers to reach the spot. Despite the challenges, fire officials managed to take the injured to nearby hospitals. Firecrackers were being made in five temporary sheds, and flames broke out in all of them. Rescue efforts are slightly hindered as the explosives remain active and the area is thick with smoke.

The Thrissur police commissioner, Nakul Rajendra Deshmukh, said a detailed investigation and a fire audit have been ordered into the incident. At this point, it’s unclear what exactly caused it. Survivors are still not in a condition to give statements, and more information is expected once they recover.

Kerala Fire Force chief DGP Nithin Aggarwal said that after receiving the alert, fire tenders from five stations were rushed to the scene, with senior officials already present. A robot will be used to reach the main spot to extinguish the fire, and drones are being deployed to scan the nearly two-acre paddy field, as it’s still unknown if more people are trapped.

Health Minister Veena George has instructed that those injured in the Thrissur fireworks explosion receive expert medical care. She has called for necessary arrangements to be made at Thrissur Medical College and ordered enough ambulances, including 108 services, to be dispatched to the scene.