KOCHI: A woman was killed and another suffered serious burn injuries as an explosion ripped through the auditorium building of Thekke Cheruvoram at Maradu near Kochi on Friday morning.
Nalini Rajan, 72, Theruvilpadatha house at TV Junction in Maradu, was brought dead in the Lakeshore Hospital while Jalaja Damodaran, 64, of Padathuthara House in Maradu suffered more than 50 per cent burns and has been admitted Erankulam Medical Centre hospital.
The two were engaged in filling gun powder for producing crackers at a shed behind auditorium building.
The high intensity explosion caused widespread destruction and damages to buildings in half-kilometre radius around the auditorium building.
Fire personnel try to douse the fire after crackers exploded in Maradu . (Photo: SUNOJ NINAN MATHEW)
Around 30 buildings in the area presented a devastating picture with collapsed ceilings, blackened walls, twisted fans, smashed doors and broken window panes.
The explosive were stored for making crackers for the Maradu Kottarathil Bhagwathy Temple festival scheduled on February 20, 21.
District Collector M.G. Rajamanickam told reporters that the Thekke Cheruvoram temple committee had stored the explosive material without licence.
The committee applied for licence only on Friday morning, he said. Excise Minister K Babuwho visited the accident site said the next meeting of the Cabinet will decide on compensation to the victims.
