Overview
- The chain of explosions Tuesday afternoon at a fireworks plant in Mundathikode near Thrissur left at least 13 people dead and more than 40 injured, with five in critical condition.
- The factory was running at full tilt to supply fireworks for the upcoming Thrissur Pooram festival, which concentrates production and raises the risk from stored explosives.
- Five of eight storage sheds were destroyed, bodies and human remains were found up to about 200 meters from the site, and DNA testing is underway to identify victims.
- Kerala declared a state calamity, announced compensation for families, and the state police chief, Ravada A Chandrasekhar, formed a special team to determine the cause.
- The disaster came two days after a separate blast in a Tamil Nadu fireworks plant that killed 25 people, intensifying scrutiny of industry safety rules and storage controls.