VIRUDHUNAGAR: A 50-year-old man died and two others sustained injuries in a blast at a firecracker unit in Amman Kovil Patti in Aamattur on Saturday. Police sources said, “The blast occurred around 5.30 pm at Nikki Fire Works unit, when foreman D Arumugam (50), and workers B Devindran (33) and K Kubendran (38) were disposing waste chemicals. Friction between the materials triggered the explosion. The cracker unit’s licence is registered in the name of C Selvi from Viswanatham.”
Arumugam died on the spot and his body was taken to Medical College Hospital in Virudhunagar for a post-mortem examination. Devindran and Kubendran sustained 80 per cent burns, and are receiving treatment at Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, sources said.
The Ammattur police have registered a case and begun inquiries. This is the third cracker unit blast in the district this year; following the mishap at Kalathur village on January 1, and the blast at Manjal Odaipatti on January 5.