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| Kerala temple fire leaves scores dead after stray firework sparks blasts | Kerala temple fire leaves scores dead after stray firework sparks blasts |
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| Emergency rescuers are sifting through the wreckage of a Hindu temple in Kerala after a huge fire caused by a fireworks display tore through the complex and killed nearly 100 people. | Emergency rescuers are sifting through the wreckage of a Hindu temple in Kerala after a huge fire caused by a fireworks display tore through the complex and killed nearly 100 people. |
| Indian authorities deployed emergency personnel from the air force, navy and national disaster response force on Sunday to help firefighters, police and local hospitals after the blaze at the crowded Puttingal temple in Kollam, southern India. | Indian authorities deployed emergency personnel from the air force, navy and national disaster response force on Sunday to help firefighters, police and local hospitals after the blaze at the crowded Puttingal temple in Kollam, southern India. |
| Kerala’s chief minister, Oommen Chandy, said 97 people, many of whom had been trapped inside the temple, had died and 245 were injured. Local reports put the number of injured at 350, but this could not be immediately confirmed. | Kerala’s chief minister, Oommen Chandy, said 97 people, many of whom had been trapped inside the temple, had died and 245 were injured. Local reports put the number of injured at 350, but this could not be immediately confirmed. |
| Pictures from Puttingal temple in Kollam (Kerala) when fire broke out that claimed 75 lives, 200 injured. pic.twitter.com/v0pyVFNcVB | Pictures from Puttingal temple in Kollam (Kerala) when fire broke out that claimed 75 lives, 200 injured. pic.twitter.com/v0pyVFNcVB |
| Police said that the fire, which began at around 3.30am local time during the Vishu festival to celebrate the Hindu new year, began after a stray firework fell onto a pyrotechnic storeroom, causing a major explosion. | Police said that the fire, which began at around 3.30am local time during the Vishu festival to celebrate the Hindu new year, began after a stray firework fell onto a pyrotechnic storeroom, causing a major explosion. |
| Dynamite sticks had been recovered from the storeroom, which may explain why the fire spread so quickly, they said. An estimated 6,000 people had gathered for the celebrations when the incident occurred. | Dynamite sticks had been recovered from the storeroom, which may explain why the fire spread so quickly, they said. An estimated 6,000 people had gathered for the celebrations when the incident occurred. |
| Some reports suggested the explosions also caused a roof to collapse, crushing worshippers inside. Krishna Das, a resident of Paravoor village, said he had started to walk away from the temple as the fireworks display was about to end when he heard a deafening explosion followed by a series of other blasts. | Some reports suggested the explosions also caused a roof to collapse, crushing worshippers inside. Krishna Das, a resident of Paravoor village, said he had started to walk away from the temple as the fireworks display was about to end when he heard a deafening explosion followed by a series of other blasts. |
| “I had been in the temple just a few minutes before watching the fireworks,” Das said. He said he had seen scores of people running away from fires and falling chunks of concrete and plaster from the temple building. | “I had been in the temple just a few minutes before watching the fireworks,” Das said. He said he had seen scores of people running away from fires and falling chunks of concrete and plaster from the temple building. |
| As the first explosion was heard, power to the complex was cut, he said. “It was complete chaos. People were screaming in the dark. Ambulance sirens went off, and in the darkness no one knew how to find their way out.” | As the first explosion was heard, power to the complex was cut, he said. “It was complete chaos. People were screaming in the dark. Ambulance sirens went off, and in the darkness no one knew how to find their way out.” |
| Jayashree Harikrishnan, a local resident, said successive blasts had sent “huge pieces of concrete flying through the air. “Chunks landed in our yard,” she said. | Jayashree Harikrishnan, a local resident, said successive blasts had sent “huge pieces of concrete flying through the air. “Chunks landed in our yard,” she said. |
| Footage from the fire showed huge clouds of smoke rising from the temple and relatives weeping as they tried to find their relatives in the chaos. A video posted on Twitter showed fireworks exploding into the sky as blast after blast shook the temple and flames erupted. | Footage from the fire showed huge clouds of smoke rising from the temple and relatives weeping as they tried to find their relatives in the chaos. A video posted on Twitter showed fireworks exploding into the sky as blast after blast shook the temple and flames erupted. |
| The nearby Thiruvananthapuram medical college hospital opened extra wards to cope with the number of patients, many of whom arrived with more than 50% burns, according to the hospital’s superintendent, D Mohandas. | The nearby Thiruvananthapuram medical college hospital opened extra wards to cope with the number of patients, many of whom arrived with more than 50% burns, according to the hospital’s superintendent, D Mohandas. |
| Local television footage showed burns victims being brought into the hospital on stretchers, and doctors and nurses rushing them to operating rooms. India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, was expected to visit the hospital. | Local television footage showed burns victims being brought into the hospital on stretchers, and doctors and nurses rushing them to operating rooms. India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, was expected to visit the hospital. |
| He tweeted: | He tweeted: |
| Fire at temple in Kollam is heart-rending & shocking beyond words. My thoughts are with families of the deceased & prayers with the injured. | Fire at temple in Kollam is heart-rending & shocking beyond words. My thoughts are with families of the deceased & prayers with the injured. |
| A judicial enquiry has been opened, and forensic experts are on the ground in Kollam. Police have registered a case against two people who organised the festival for conducting the fireworks display. | A judicial enquiry has been opened, and forensic experts are on the ground in Kollam. Police have registered a case against two people who organised the festival for conducting the fireworks display. |
| Fireworks are banned in the district, and a local official has said that special permission had not been granted for the display. Police have raided the home of a man who is believed to have supplied the fireworks to the festival organisers. | Fireworks are banned in the district, and a local official has said that special permission had not been granted for the display. Police have raided the home of a man who is believed to have supplied the fireworks to the festival organisers. |
| By Sunday morning firefighters had managed to control the blaze, allowing rescue and relief teams to start looking for survivors. | By Sunday morning firefighters had managed to control the blaze, allowing rescue and relief teams to start looking for survivors. |
| The air force has deployed six helicopters to help transport victims to nearby hospitals. Medical teams from nearby naval bases were also helping burns victims on the ground. | |
| Kollam beach lies about 70km north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram. The port town attracts thousands of tourists each year, with its panoramic views of the Arabian Sea. It is the second largest port in Kerala after Cochin. | Kollam beach lies about 70km north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram. The port town attracts thousands of tourists each year, with its panoramic views of the Arabian Sea. It is the second largest port in Kerala after Cochin. |