Thiruvananthapuram/Thrissur, Apr 21 (PTI) Political leaders across major parties in the state on Tuesday expressed grief over the loss of 13 lives in a blast at a fireworks manufacturing unit in Kerala’s Thrissur district and conveyed condolences to the families of the deceased.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a statement, expressed condolences over the loss of lives and directed that all necessary medical assistance be provided to the injured.
He also instructed officials to ensure coordinated rescue and relief operations.
His party colleague and CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan termed the incident “extremely shocking” and said the government has initiated effective interventions to coordinate rescue operations at the site.
In a statement, he said that as per the CM’s instructions, the government has coordinated the activities of the police, fire and rescue services, and the health department, and urged the public and party workers to take part in the rescue operations.
He paid tribute to those who died in the incident and shared the grief of the victims’ families.
Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism Suresh Gopi, in a Facebook post, also expressed shock and sadness, saying it was inconceivable that such a tragedy had struck ordinary people working for a livelihood.
He said he had instructed that the injured receive the best possible treatment and that a thorough probe be conducted to determine the cause of the explosion. He expressed condolences to the victims’ families.
His party colleague and state BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar also expressed grief and extended condolences to the families who lost their loved ones.
In a Facebook post, Chandrasekhar said his “thoughts and prayers are with them as they face this unimaginable loss.” He prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.
The Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP from Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, expressed grief over the loss of lives.
Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, said he was deeply saddened by the explosion at a fireworks facility in Thrissur just days before Pooram.
He said the tragedy and scale of devastation were heartbreaking, and called for swift rescue efforts and immediate medical care for the injured.
Priyanka Gandhi, in a post on X, said she was deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the explosion at a fireworks facility in Thrissur, Kerala. “My heart goes out to the families who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured and strength for all those affected,” she said.
Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan, also expressed similar sentiments, terming the incident shocking and tragic.
He said the government should ensure expert treatment for the injured and extended condolences to the victims’ families.
Around 40 people were believed to have been present in the shed at the time of the explosion, and many sustained burn injuries, several of them critical.
The mishap occurred in a shed where firecrackers were being prepared on behalf of a temple devaswom ahead of the upcoming Thrissur Pooram, scheduled for April 26. PTI HMP SSK
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