THURAIYUR: As many as 18 people were feared dead and 15 others injured on Thursday morning when a high-intensity blast ripped through a private explosive manufacturing unit at Murungapatti near here, 50 kms from Tiruchy, raising serious questions about safety measures adopted by such units.

The explosion, cause of which is yet to be known, took place around 7.30 am as a group of 15 employees were coming out of Vetrivel Explosives unit after completing their night shift. Another 15 people had just gone inside the unit for morning shift when the incident took place. Ten fire tenders and several personnel from the Fire department fought for several hours to douse the raging fire. The explosion followed by a loud noise prompted villagers of Murungapatti rushed to the spot and helped police rescue the injured and rush them to hospital.

Since fire engulfed the entire unit, most of the bodies were charred beyond recognition and efforts are on to identify them with the help of their relatives. The explosion at the manufacturing unit spread to three godowns, where explosives have been stored, which were charred completely and thick smoke billowing out of the factory engulfed the entire area and near-by areas in Thuraiyur town. Waves from the explosion were felt till 2km away.

Police and fire department sources told DC that the death toll might go up since a few employees who are admitted to government hospitals are stated to be in serious condition. While 10 of the injured were admitted to Government Hospital in Thammampatti, five people were rushed to Government Hospital in Thuraiyur. Expressing anger over the incident, villagers blocked the Thuraiyur-Salem highway and demanded action against the owners of the factory.

Tourism minister Vellamandi Natarajan, who visited the spot along with District Collector K.S. Palanisamy, told reporters that the government would take steps to seal the company since prima facie it appears that safety precautions and rules and regulations were flouted. Villagers, who initially heckled the minister and the Collector, later demanded in one voice that a similar unit in near-by Sengattupatti village be closed before any untoward incident happens. The police, who registered a case against Vijay Kannan and Vetrivel, Managing Directors of the factory, took two production managers of the unit into custody.