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Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
3 die in blast at TN firecracker unit
Virudhunagar: Three workers were killed and three others injured in an explosion at a fireworks manufacturing unit in Vadakarai village in Virudhunagar on Wednesday morning. Police have arrested two employees of the unit, and are looking for its owner, Rajachandrasekar. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Police said the blast happened around 9.30am at Yuvaraj Fireworks when workers were filling chemicals in a working shed. The explosion, apparently triggered by friction, killed Sowdammal, 53, of Kalkurichi, and Karuppiah, 35, of Kandiyanendhal, on the spot. Four more workers, Ganesan, 55, Murugan, 40, Mariammal, 40, and Pechiammal, 38, sustained severe injuries. They were rushed to Virudhunagar govt medical college hospital for treatment. Later in the evening, Ganesan died at the hospital, increasing the toll to three. Fire and rescue services personnel rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire. The working shed was reduced to rubble in the blast. Expressing his sadness over the deaths, chief minister M K Stalin announced a compensation of Rs4 lakh each to the families of the deceased, Rs1 lakh each to the severely injured and Rs50,000 each to those with minor injuries. Kariapatti police registered a case and arrested foreman Veerasekaran and supervisor Kanimurugan. Police said the firecracker unit is licensed by Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation. Finance minister Thangam Thennarasu visited the injured at Virudhunagar medical college hospital. Tamil Maanila Congress (M) leader G K Vasan urged the govt to continuously monitor safety measures in fireworks units to prevent such incidents.
New Indian Express
25-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Oil spill a major concern from the mid-sea accident involving cargo vessel off Kochi coast
KOCHI: While the Coast Guard, Navy, and the shipping company are making efforts to salvage MSC Elsa 3 which has reported a listing of 26 to 28 degree off Kochi coast, containing the oil spill has become a bigger concern. The vessel was transporting very low-sulphur fuel oil and marine gas oil from Tuticorin to Kochi port. As a few containers have fallen into the sea, the disaster management authority has issued an alert on possible oil spill. As the fallen containers may drift and reach the coastal areas of Kerala, an alert has been sounded and the residents of coastal areas have been cautioned against going near the containers. According to chemical safety expert R Venugopal, who is a former joint chief controller of explosives of the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), the chances of oil spill from the fallen containers are high and the authorities should initiate steps to contain it. 'They should seek the support of oil companies for containment measures. Floating barriers or oil booms should be deployed around the spill to contain and prevent oil from spreading further. Mechanical or absorbent skimmers should be used to remove oil from the water surface efficiently. Barriers should be installed to direct oil towards clean-up zones, preventing accumulation in sensitive areas. Specialised sorbent booms, pads, and granular absorbents designed for hydrocarbon recovery can help absorb the oil spreading on the sea surface,' he said. What is VLSFO and MGO? Very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO), represents a category of marine fuel designed to meet the International Maritime Organisation's regulations that limit the sulfur content in ship fuel to 0.5% by weight. Unlike traditional heavy fuel oil (HFO), VLSFO is blended from various components, including lighter, more refined products and some heavy fuel elements, to strike a balance between sulfur content, energy content, and cost. The VLSFO is more environmentally friendly but expensive due to the refining and blending required to reduce sulfur levels. Marine gas oil (MGO) is a marine fuel that consists solely of distillates, the components of crude oil that evaporate in fractional distillation and are then condensed from the gas phase into liquid fractions. It is similar to diesel but has a higher density, and unlike HFO, marine gas oil doesn't require heating during storage.
The Hindu
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Sample fireworks set the sky aflame in Thrissur
With regulations eased at Thrissur Pooram this year, fireworks enthusiasts were treated to a closer, clearer view than usual at the sample show (first round of fireworks) on Sunday, thanks to improved viewing access. Both Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu devaswoms delivered on every expectation, setting the night ablaze with a breathtaking fusion of colour and sound. They didn't just put on a show; they took the crowd on a euphoric ride. The fact that it fell on a Sunday added to the excitement, as a sea of people began flowing into the city by noon. As traffic restrictions kicked in by afternoon, vehicles were parked on the city outskirts, and hordes of spectators made their way on foot to the iconic Swaraj Round. Tradition of delay Scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., the sample fireworks stuck to the tradition of starting fashionably late. Thiruvambady led the charge by 7.30 p.m., opening with thunderous 'kuzhiminnal' (ground-shaking bombs) that sent a pulse of raw energy through the city. What followed was a medley of 'olappadakkam,' 'gundu,' and 'amittu' — each explosion punctuated by rhythmic roars from the crowd. Thiruvambady's sample built up to a dazzling climax, painting the sky in a storm of colour and sound, igniting a chorus of jubilation from the packed crowd. Then came Paramekkavu's turn. As the smoke from Thiruvambady's finale drifted from the skyline, Paramekkavu lit their first fuse by 8.30 p.m. Their fireworks began with deep rumbles and soon escalated into a full-blown sonic spectacle. A seamless fusion of ola, kuzhiminnal, gundu, and amittu bloomed overhead, casting brilliant hues over the city. 'Amittu' blooms Both groups wrapped up their displays with signature amittu blooms, unleashing a symphony of colours. Children clapped with delight mesmerised by the sheer brilliance of the blooms unfolding above them. This year, a notable change was the repositioning of the fire lines. In compliance with PESO (Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation) guidelines and to ensure better crowd management, both groups moved their firing zones slightly deeper into the Thekkinkadu maidan. This adjustment not only ensured safe distance between the fireworks and spectators, but also allowed more people to enjoy the show from Swaraj Round. Thrissur Pooram will be celebrated on May 6 and the main fireworks' display will be in the early hours of Wednesday.
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Time of India
3 killed, 7 injured in blast at fireworks unit in Sivakasi
1 2 Virudhunagar: Three women workers were killed and seven others injured in an explosion caused by friction during manufacture of firecrackers at a unit in M Pudhupatti, Sivakasi on Saturday. Police said the incident happened in Standard Fireworks, which is licensed by Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation. It has nearly 80 working sheds where around 100 workers are employed. On Saturday morning, the workers were involved in various processes of cracker manufacture in the working sheds when a blast suddenly ripped through one of the sheds where chemicals were being filled for fancy aerial crackers. Three women workers, Mariammal, 51, Thiruvaimozhi, 48, and Kalaiselvi, 35, died on the spot. The fire started to spread to nearby working sheds. Seven women workers, Bagyalakshmi, Gomathi, and Pathimuthu, all 55, Rabiya Beevi, 50, Ramasubbu, 43, Lakshmi, 40, and Muniammal, 40, sustained injuries. Fire and rescue services personnel from Sivakasi and Srivilliputhur rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire. The injured were taken to Sivakasi govt hospital for treatment. Bodies of the deceased women were recovered from the debris of the sheds and sent for postmortem. With this, 13 workers have died in four explosions at fireworks making units in the region so far this year. There were 42 casualties last year in similar explosions in Virudhunagar district and 40 deaths in 2023. A fire department official said after preliminary investigation that the blast was triggered by mishandling of chemicals. M Pudhupatti police registered a case and arrested the unit's foreman Subburaj, and manager Rajesh. Police are on the lookout for unit owner Jaishankar. The firecracker unit's licence has been suspended. Expressing sadness at the deaths, chief minister M K Stalin instructed doctors to provide proper treatment to the injured workers. He announced a compensation of Rs4 lakh each to the family members of the deceased, and Rs1 lakh each to the injured workers. A sum of Rs50,000 has been given to those who sustained minor injuries. Meanwhile, MDMK principal secretary and Trichy MP Durai Vaiko urged the state govt to identify the causes of the accident and take steps to prevent them in future. He sought framing of new rules in the insurance system to ensure that family members of the deceased workers received Rs25 lakh as relief. AMMK leader T T V Dhinakaran said more than 100 workers have lost their lives in accidents in fireworks units in the past four years. Tamil Maanila Congress leader G K Vasan and former AIADMK leader V K Sasikala have also urged the govt to find a permanent solution to prevent such incidents.
