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<p data-start="197" data-end="443"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">A deadly explosion at a fireworks unit in Keezha Thayilpatti near Sivakasi claimed one life and injured five others on Sunday, marking yet another tragic incident in Tamil Nadu&rsquo;s firecracker manufacturing belt.</span></p>
<p data-start="445" data-end="756"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The blast occurred at the Hindustan Fireworks unit during the production of aerial fireworks. Authorities identified the deceased as 50-year-old M. Balagurusamy, a resident of Tiruthangal. The explosion was so powerful that rescue teams had to collect his remains from several spots around the factory premises.</span></p>
<p data-start="758" data-end="1096"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Preliminary investigations suggest the blast may have been triggered by friction during the manufacturing process. While the factory held a valid licence from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), officials are now probing whether it had clearance to operate on a Sunday &mdash; traditionally a weekly holiday for such units.</span></p>
<p data-start="1098" data-end="1263"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Five other workers suffered minor injuries from flying debris as they tried to escape. All were rushed to Sivakasi Government Hospital and are reported to be stable.</span></p>
<p data-start="1265" data-end="1531"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The fire following the blast rapidly engulfed the site, destroying at least 10 working sheds. Massive plumes of thick black smoke were visible from several kilometers away. Firefighters led by Station Officer T. Srinivasan battled strong winds to contain the flames.</span></p>
<p data-start="1533" data-end="1705"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In response to the incident, Virudhunagar District Revenue Officer R. Rajendran ordered the suspension of the unit&rsquo;s sulphur handling licence pending further investigation.</span></p>
<p data-start="1707" data-end="1873"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the second such tragedy in the district in less than a week. On July 1, eight workers were killed in a similar blast at Gokules Fireworks in Chinnakamanpatti.</span></p>
<p data-start="1875" data-end="2196"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The back-to-back accidents have intensified scrutiny on the fireworks industry in Sivakasi, where safety regulations often appear to be loosely enforced. Local residents and activists have renewed demands for a comprehensive safety audit across all operational units to prevent further disasters in this high-risk sector.</span></p>
<p data-start="2198" data-end="2304" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">A joint probe is now underway involving officials from the police, fire services, and revenue departments.</span></p>
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<div class="flex items-center justify-center"><span class="flex items-center gap-1.5" style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="sr-only whitespace-nowrap! md:not-sr-only">[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed]</span></span></div>
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A deadly explosion at a fireworks unit in Keezha Thayilpatti

Fireworks factory explosion in Keezha Thayilpatti kills one, injures five; safety lapses under scrutiny

Another Blast at Sivakasi Unit, 1 Dead, 5 Injured

Fireworks factory explosion in Keezha Thayilpatti kills one, injures five; safety lapses under scrutiny

July 6, 2025 | 21:35 IST