Three held in connection with Sivakasi firecracker unit blast

Virudhunagar: The owner of the fireworks unit in Sivakasi and two others were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the tragic death of 13 workers, including 12 women due to a blast on October 17, police said. Foreman Kanagu alias Kanakaraj and Ramkumar of the private fireworks unit too, were among those arrested for causing deaths due to negligence.

Accordingly, cases under sections 286 (acting rashly or negligently to endanger human lives), 337 (causing hurt by endangering life or personal safety), and 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC read with relevant provisions of the Indian Explosives Act were registered against them, said police.

"The sudden explosion at the unit in Rangapalayam occurred after a spark from the samples tested by the workers landed on the stockpile of firecrackers," a senior police official said. About 13 workers including 12 women and a man died in the blast.

To a question, he replied that R Sundaramurthy, the owner of the firecracker unit, who was also arrested, possessed a valid licence.

In another accident, a worker was killed in a blast at a fireworks unit at Kichanayakanpatti village on Tuesday.