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Massive fire kills more than 100 in south India temple fire Over 100 dead as fire sweeps through Hindu temple in India
(about 7 hours later)
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India — A massive fire broke out during a fireworks display in a Hindu temple in south India early Sunday, killing more than 100 people and injuring at least 200 others, officials said. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India — More than 100 people were killed and nearly 400 injured when a massive fire swept through a Hindu temple in southern India during an unauthorized fireworks display early Sunday, officials said.
The fire started when a spark from the unauthorized fireworks show ignited a separate batch of fireworks that were being stored at the Puttingal temple complex in Paravoor village, a few hours north of Kerala’s state capital of Thiruvananthapuram, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, the state’s top elected official. The fire started when a spark from the fireworks show ignited a separate batch of fireworks that were being stored at the Puttingal temple complex in the Kerala state village of Paravoor, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, the state’s top elected official.
Thousands had been packed into the temple complex when a big explosion erupted around 3 a.m., officials said. The blaze then spread quickly through the temple, trapping devotees within. Thousands of people had been packed into the complex when a big explosion erupted at around 3 a.m., officials said. The blaze then spread quickly through the temple, trapping devotees within.
Most of the 102 people died when the building where the fireworks were stored collapsed, Chandy told reporters at the temple complex. Chandy said that 102 people died and at least 380 were injured in the disaster.
Local TV channels broadcast images of huge clouds of white smoke billowing from the temple, as fireworks were still going off in the night sky. Successive explosions from the building storing the fireworks sent huge chunks of concrete flying as far as a kilometer (a half mile), according to resident Jayashree Harikrishnan. Most of the deaths occurred when the building where the fireworks were stored collapsed, he told reporters at the temple complex. He said around 60 bodies of the victims had been identified so far.
The temple holds a competitive fireworks display every year, with different groups putting on successive light shows for thousands of devotees gathered for the last day of a seven-day festival honoring the goddess Bhadrakali, a southern Indian incarnation of the Hindu goddess Kali. Krishna Das, a resident of Paravoor, located about 60 kilometers (37 miles) north of Kerala’s state capital of Thiruvananthapuram, said he had started walking away from the temple as the fireworks display was about to end when he heard a deafening explosion followed by a series of blasts.
This year, district authorities denied permission for the fireworks display, Chief Minister Chandy said. He said he saw scores of people running away, chased by fire and chunks of concrete and plaster from the temple building. As soon as the first explosion was heard, a power outage hit the complex.
The state’s High Court had earlier mandated that fireworks must be stored more than 100 meters (yards) from temples — orders that were flouted at the Paravoor temple, said Loknath Behera, a top police official. “It was complete chaos,” Das said. “People were screaming in the dark. Ambulance sirens went off, and in the darkness no one knew how to find their way out of the complex.”
“We will be investigating how the orders were flouted and who was responsible for the decision to go ahead with the firework display,” Chandy said.
Krishna Das, a resident of Paravoor village, said he had started walking away from the temple as the fireworks display was about to end when a deafening explosion followed by a series of blasts went off.
“I had been in the temple just a few minutes before watching the fireworks,” Das said. He said he saw scores of people running away, chased by fire and chunks of concrete and plaster from the temple building.
Das said as soon as the first explosion was heard, a power outage hit the complex.
“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 of the complex,” he said.
He said that six ambulances had been parked outside the temple complex as a precaution. They were used to rush the injured to hospitals in the nearby cities of Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram.He said that six ambulances had been parked outside the temple complex as a precaution. They were used to rush the injured to hospitals in the nearby cities of Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram.
Local villagers and police pulled out many of the injured from under slabs of concrete.Local villagers and police pulled out many of the injured from under slabs of concrete.
Many of the buildings within a kilometer (mile) of the temple were damaged with cracks in the walls or broken window panes from the impact of the explosion, Das said. Television channels broadcast images of huge clouds of white smoke billowing from the temple, as fireworks were still going off in the night sky. Successive explosions from the building storing the fireworks sent huge chunks of concrete flying as far as a kilometer (half a mile), according to resident Jayashree Harikrishnan.
By morning, firefighters had brought the blaze under control, officials said. Rescuers sifted through the wreckage in search of survivors, while backhoes cleared the debris and ambulances drove away the injured. By around 7 a.m., firefighters had brought the blaze under control, officials said. Rescuers sifted through the wreckage in search of survivors, while backhoes cleared the debris and ambulances drove away the injured.
As day broke, thousands of anxious relatives reached the temple in search of their loved ones. Many wept and pressed police officials and rescue workers for information on their family members. Thousands of anxious relatives went to the temple in search of their loved ones. Many wept and pressed police officials and rescue workers for information on their family members.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accompanied by doctors, was flying to Kerala to meet with the survivors and victims’ families.
At one of the main hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram, senior physician Thomas Mathew said that judging from injuries, a stampede was also likely to have occurred at the temple.At one of the main hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram, senior physician Thomas Mathew said that judging from injuries, a stampede was also likely to have occurred at the temple.
“There were few women or children among the injured. Most were men,” Mathew said. The temple holds a competitive fireworks display every year, with different groups putting on successive light shows for thousands of devotees gathered for the last day of a seven-day festival honoring the goddess Bhadrakali, a southern Indian incarnation of the Hindu goddess Kali.
This year, however, authorities in Kollam district denied temple officials permission to hold the fireworks display, said A. Shainamol, the district’s top official.
“They were clearly told that no permission would be given for any kind of fireworks,” Shainamol told reporters.
She said permission was denied over fears that the competing sides would try to outdo each other with more and more fireworks, and because the temple gets overcrowded during the festival.
Public displays of fireworks can be conducted only with permission from district officials, Shainamol said.
Chandy, the state chief minister, said that he had appointed a retired judge to investigate the events leading to the fire, and that strict action would be taken against those who had ignored rules.
“We will be investigating how the orders were flouted and who was responsible for the decision to go ahead with the firework display,” Chandy said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who flew in from New Delhi on Sunday, visited the site and discussed with Chandy and other Kerala leaders measures that could be taken to help the survivors.
Modi was accompanied by a team of doctors and burn specialists from New Delhi who will stay on to help treat the survivors, officials said.
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Associated Press writers Nirmala George and Katy Daigle in New Delhi contributed to this report.Associated Press writers Nirmala George and Katy Daigle in New Delhi contributed to this report.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.