Over 150 injured in fireworks accident at Kerala temple festival

Kasaragod (Kerala):

Over 150 people were injured, including eight seriously, in a fireworks accident during a temple festival near Nileshwaram here late on Monday night, police said.

The injured have been taken to various hospitals in Kasaragod, Kannur and Mangaluru, he said.

The incident took place at Veerarkavu temple near Nileshwar.

The District Magistrate said on Tuesday that those who were seriously injured have suffered 80 percent burns.

“The cause of the accident is being ascertained. Samples have been collected from the spot. A case has been registered,” he said.

He further said that as per preliminary investigation, the fireworks storage facility and the place where the crackers were being burst were close to each other.

“Safety precautions were not taken. The requirement of maintaining a minimum distance of 100 meters between the two was not followed. No permission was also taken for storing the fireworks,” he said.

According to the police, it is suspected that the accident occurred due to a fire in a fireworks storage facility near the Veerarakavu temple.

He said the accident occurred around midnight.