Thrissur Firecracker Unit explosion: Death Toll Rises to 16 as One More Succumbs to Injuries

Thrissur: The death toll from the Mundathikode fireworks unit explosion has climbed to 16 after Unnikrishnan, a native of Edappal who had sustained burns to over 70 per cent of his body, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at Thrissur Medical College Hospital.

New details emerging from the investigation paint a picture of devastation of extraordinary scale and intensity. The explosion on Tuesday afternoon sent shockwaves up to five kilometres away, with the blast resembling an earthquake in sound before a massive fireball engulfed the area. The force of the blast hurled workers large distances from the site, and post-mortem reports have found that most of the deceased suffered ruptured lungs and burst abdomens — catastrophic internal organ damage caused by the pressure wave from the explosion, compounded by severe burns that made treatment exceptionally difficult.

Investigators now believe the use of banned chemicals was a primary factor behind the devastating scale of the blast. Evidence of potassium chlorate — a prohibited substance in fireworks manufacture — has been found by the investigating team. Storing gunpowder in quantities far exceeding permitted limits is also believed to have dramatically amplified the explosion's force.

The preliminary hypothesis that extreme heat caused the gunpowder to ignite has been supplemented by this chemical angle. The combined effect of prohibited chemicals, excess stockpiling, and the confined storage arrangement across five sheds created conditions for an explosion of catastrophic proportions — one that has now taken 16 lives and left several others in critical condition.