Kerala fireworks factory blast: SIT probe launched, cause to be determined soon, says DGP

A day after 14 people were killed and over 40 were injured in a blast at a fireworks manufacturing unit at Mundathicode in Thrissur district, Kerala, Kerala State Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar on Wednesday (April 22) said that they have launched a thorough investigation into the matter and by evening would be able to determine the exact reason behind the blast.

Probe underway

Speaking to reporters, the DGP further stated that an SIT has been formed under the supervision of Thrissur City Police Commissioner to conduct the probe. He also said that additional forensic teams from nearby districts have been pressed into service.

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“The entire focus yesterday was on rescue operations. A comprehensive probe is underway to find out the exact cause of the mishap. By this evening, we will be able to ascertain what caused the blast,” Chandrasekhar told the media here.

All angles to be examined

He said it was premature to determine whether sabotage had played a role in the incident, adding that all aspects, including forensic findings and eyewitness testimonies, would be examined.

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The DGP noted that about 32 individuals were confirmed to have been at the site when the accident occurred, though he did not rule out the possibility that more people could have been present.

Rescue efforts led by police

Senior officers, including the Thrissur City Police Commissioner and the DIG, reached the location shortly after the incident and oversaw the rescue operations. The effort was carried out jointly by the police, the fire force and residents.

Chandrasekhar is expected to visit the site later in the day.

Incident details emerge

The incident occurred at around 2.40 pm on Tuesday at a fireworks unit preparing crackers for a temple devaswom ahead of the upcoming Thrissur Pooram on April 26.

Residents said intermittent blasts continued even after the initial one, disrupting rescue work.

They added that the firecrackers were being produced in multiple temporary sheds set up in an isolated paddy field area.

Local account of impact

Earlier, Wadakkanchery municipal chairman VN Surendran told The Federal that the explosion at the fireworks unit in Mundathikode was so powerful that its impact was felt several kilometres away, adding that many initially mistook the sound for an earthquake.

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He said most of those injured were residents from nearby areas and had been shifted to Thrissur Medical College Hospital. He noted that intense heat was suspected to have triggered the incident and that, in several cases, only body remains could be recovered.

He further said that continuous explosions had prevented rescue teams from accessing the site, making it difficult for them to reach the accident spot, and that only scattered remains could be retrieved.

What Health Minister said

Meanwhile, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that nine intact bodies and several remains were recovered from the site of the blast at a fireworks unit in Mundathicode a day earlier. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority said 26 body parts had been collected and that the toll could change after DNA identification.

Experts from the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Biotechnology are expected to collect samples from the remains and bodies, including those already handed over after autopsy. “Identification is difficult in this incident as many of the bodies and parts are badly burnt,” she said.

(With agency inputs)