83 Dead, 350 Injured In Fire At Puttingal Temple In Kerala’s Kollam
Kollam, Kerala: At least 83 people have been killed and 350 injured after a fire broke out at the Puttingal temple in Paravur in Kerala’s Kollam district early this morning, officials said today.
Fire broke out during celebrations involving firecrackers at 3 am
More than 10,000 people were in the ground when the fire started
PM Modi is heading to Kerala to take stock of the situation
The fire started around 3 am at a ground next to the temple where 10,000 to 15,000 people were present for a festival and to watch the fireworks all night. (Pictures)
"A spark from the crackers being burst fell into the stack of crackers kept in a makeshift compartment at the ground, triggering the fire. The space was an open group and people could run away," a police official said. Officials are investigating if a competitive display of fireworks, which is banned, led to the fire.
Television footage showed huge clouds of white smoke billowing from the temple, as fireworks were still going off in the night sky. Successive explosions from the building storing the fireworks sent huge chunks of concrete flying as far as a kilometer according to witnesses, reported news agency AFP.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his anguish on Twitter and said he will be reaching Kerala soon to take stock of the situation.
Kerala Chief Minister Oomen Chandy who is also on his way to the spot, said the fire was "unprecedented" and "alarming". Helicopters have been requested to ferry the seriously injured to hospitals, he told NDTV.
The injured have been taken to 10 hospitals and according to Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, "all necessary arrangements have been made in Ernakulam and Trivandrum."
The fire, which also damaged the Puttingal temple’s roof, broke out during celebrations for the New Year festival of Vishu in the coastal town around 60 km from Thiruvananthapuram.
By morning, firefighters had brought the blaze under control, officials said. Rescuers were sifting through the wreckage in search of survivors, while backhoes were clearing the debris and ambulances ferried the injured to nearby hospitals.
Helpline Numbers: 0474 2512344, 949760778, 949730869
- Officials say over 10,000 people were present at a ground next to the temple to watch fireworks during a festival when the fire started a little after 3 am.
- People were trapped by the flames when a spark during the fireworks display ignited a separate batch of firecrackers stored in preparation for the New year festival of Vishu on Thursday.
- The fireworks erupted in a big explosion. huge flames engulfed the building within minutes, trapping devotees within the temple in the coastal city 60 km from Thiruvananthapuram.
- Sources say officials are investigating whether "competitive fireworks" were the reason behind the massive tragedy.
- It is not clear whether the temple had permission for fireworks through the night as part of their rituals.
- The fire, which has damaged the roof of the temple, is believed to have been brought under control.
- The injured have been taken to 10 hospitals in and around Kollam. The most critically injured would be moved by choppers, tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- The PM, who also tweeted that the fire was ’heartrending and shocking beyond words," is expected to visit the site of the tragedy soon.
- Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he had spoken to Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and assured all help.
- The Chief Minister has asked the Election Commission for permission to help the affected families, as the code of conduct is in place for the state election next month.
Choppers To Airlift Seriously Injured In Kerala Temple Fire, Says Oommen Chandy
Thiruvananthapuram: Two helicopters of the Air Force were being used to evacuate those critically wounded in the fire at the Puttingal Devi temple in Kollam, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said. The tragedy in the coastal town has left at least 83 dead and 350 injured.
"The Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister expressed their grief and have promised all the help. I have requested two helicopters at the earliest," he told NDTV.
Mr Chandy, who termed as "unprecedented" and "alarming", cancelled all his scheduled poll programmes and is on his way to the accident site.
"Rescue operation at the mishap spot is over...The next main focus of the government is to provide best treatment to the injured," he said.
"This is an unprecedented and alarming situation," Mr Chandy said.
The government would extend treatment facilities to the injured persons in the hospitals preferred by their relatives, he said.
The State Chief Secretary has been asked to write a letter to the Election Commission for necessary sanction to exclude the treatment facilities to the injured from the ambit of the Election Code of Conduct, he said.
The fire broke out in the grounds next to the temple around 3 am during a fireworks display. More than 10,000 people were present at the temple for the New Year festival of Vishu.
Comments on this Article | |
Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai | Sun, April-10-2016, 2:47 |
Crackers have always been a nuisance and should be BANNED ... Agree[4]
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