Major fire at Puttingal Devi temple leaves over 100 dead

Thousands of people had gathered at the temple precincts to witness the fireworks display which were on since midnight when the fire broke out. The mishap occurred as sparks fell on the storeroom 'Kambapura' and exploded with a deafening noise at around 3.30 AM, police said. The sound of the explosion could be heard over a km radius and the whole area plunged into darkness as the power supply went off and people ran helter skelter, eyewitnesses said. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said he has been informed by the state health minister that the death toll has gone beyond 90. Chandy said he has asked the Prime Minister to provide two helicopters at Kollam to ferry the seriously injured. "The condition of some of the injured is stated to very serious and the injured have been admitted to various hospitals in and around Kollam and in Thiruvananthapuram," he said. The Chief Minister said that the district collector of Kollam had not given permission to conduct the fireworks. Police sources said a case has been registered against temple authorities and explosive licencees under section 307 (Attempt to murder), and 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide) of IPC and under section 4 of Explosives Substances Act. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Rs two lakh each as compensation for the next of the kin of the dead in the mishap and Rs 50,000 each for the injured in the tragedy. The Prime Minister, who is rushing to Kerala to take stock of the situation, termed the incident as "heart-rending" and "shocking". "Fire at temple in Kollam is heart-rending & shocking beyond words. My thoughts are with families of the deceased & prayers with the injured," he said in a tweet. The Prime Minister has also asked Health Minister J P Nadda to reach the site of the mishap. Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, who visited the spot, said 40 bodies have been identified. A special cabinet meeting will be held at Kollam at 3 PM today to take stock of the situation, he said, adding the priority is to provide help to the injured at the earliest. The Prime Minister is taking a team of doctors specialising in treating burn injuries along with him. Modi will be directly landing in the town where the mishap took place. All protocol including the Governor and the Chief Minister receiving the Prime Minster at the helipad has been waived. Modi has directed IAF and Navy to divert all helicopters in the command for ferrying injured to major hospitals in nearby cities. Chandy said the Prime Minister and the Home Minister contacted me over telephone. "I requested both of them, we really want two helicopters to shift the serious patients to Thiruvananthapuram from Kollam. "Now rescue operations are over and we are concentrating on giving the best treatment to all the persons admitted in the hospitals. So we are giving assistance to private hospitals and all the expert doctors have been asked to join duty because Sunday possibly they are on leave," he said. Union Health Minister J P Nadda said, "The incident is very shocking and tragic. I am rushing to the spot....The injured are being taken to hospitals of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam. "Team of 15 doctors of Safdarjung and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital are put in service. They are coming to Kerala. We are also sending medicines from Delhi and at the same time we are ensuring there should be no shortage of medicine as well. Team of doctors will reach by the afternoon," Nadda said. Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, "It is very unfortunate. More than 50 people died on the spot". "Now situation is under control, the Director General of Police is on the spot and coordinating all the rescue operation. "The fire is under control. Fire force and police are coordinating the rescue operation and," the Home Minister said. - PTI