Virudhunagar: Three people, including two brothers, were killed when firecrackers stored in an illegal manufacturing unit exploded at Sengamalapatti near Sivakasi on Sunday morning.Police said Ram Prakash, 35, of Sengamalapatti, and Innasimuthu, 45, of Meenampatti, were engaged in manufacturing firecrackers in a shed illegally erected on their farmland. The blast occurred around 8.30am, presumably due to chemical friction, as the stored firecrackers went on exploding. Ram Prakash and Innasimuthu were killed on the spot and their bodies blown apart. Fire and thick white fumes erupted up to more than 10 feet.
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Ramachandran, 39, brother of Ram Prakash, sustained severe burn injuries and succumbed to injuries at Virudhunagar Govt Medical College hospital later in the day. Police said Ramachandran reportedly went there to serve them refreshment. Fire and rescue personnel, along with police, doused the fire. It took two and a half hours to retrieve the scattered body parts. The bodies were sent to Virudhunagar Govt Medical College and Hospital for autopsy. Sivakasi East Police have registered a case and are investigating.A senior police official told TOI that the 10×10 shed which was used to store agricultural tools was illegally turned into a firecracker making unit late in the night. “One of the deceased was reportedly working in another licensed firecracker factory, and we are probing how they got the chemicals,” said the official, adding that night vigil would be increased to curb illegal firecracker manufacturing.In a separate incident, fire apparently triggered by an electrical short circuit broke out at a firecracker factory near Vembakottai in Virudhunagar district on Sunday, damaging packaged fireworks worth around ₹1 lakh.Fire and rescue personnel rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading further. No injuries or casualties were reported. Vembakottai police have launched an investigation into the incident.
