Posted on 04/10/2016 9:24:12 AM PDT by BenLurkin
The Kerala state government has ordered a judicial inquiry into a fireworks display (Watch the video clip) that went wrong at a South India temple killing at least 110 people and injuring more than 350 early Sunday.
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Competitive fireworks are illegal and stricter laws will be framed against such displays, he said.
Over 50 bodies have been identified so far.
Another 40 bodies are yet to be identified, he said, adding that DNA tests will be conducted to identify them.
Most of the dead are either women or children. About 20,000 people had gathered on the temple premises to witness the fireworks.
The fire at Puttingal temple in Paravoor near Kollam, Kerala, started when a spark from a fireworks show ignited a separate batch of fireworks that were stored at a shed in Puttingal temple complex, State Home Minister Ramesh Chennitala said.
A local newspaper, however, said the blaze began when a rocket named Sunflower lost direction and came down on a group of people who were carrying fresh batch of fireworks to the temple ground. Sparks from this blast flew into the fireworks storehouse resulting in multiple explosions.
The blast happened around 3 am local time (5:30am Saturday ET) and the fire tore through the temple complex trapping devotees. Many died in the stampede that followed while some were killed as the temple roof caved in.
(Excerpt) Read more at atimes.com ...
Oh, that’s dreadful.
Oh yeah, that will stop that. /s
From the NY Times article:
“P. T. Chacko, a spokesman for Chief Minister Oommen Chandy of Kerala, said that the fireworks display had been specifically forbidden by officials in the district of Kollam but that the Puttingal temple had gone ahead anyway.”
Competitive fireworks: is that like a dance-off?
a rocket named Sunflower lost direction and came down on a group of people who were carrying fresh batch of fireworks
*****
Sounds like something out of Road Runner
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