Impact felt at a distance

THRISSUR: Jayan, who suffered injuries in the explosion at the fireworks unit, has lost an eye, said the hospital authorities. Six workers of the unit Madhavan, Jayan, Prasad, Pazhanimala, Vijayan and Devassy have been admitted to the hospital with serious injuries.Jophy, the owner of the unit, died on the spot. Devassy, his father, continues to be in critical condition.The impact of the accident was felt at the hospital, said Dr Sherly Vasu, head of the forensic unit. “We felt as if the entire building was hit by a wave, but could not figure out the reason. It felt like a bomb blast,” she said.D Pradeep Kumar, head of All India Radio at Ramavarmapuram said: “It was as if something huge had hit the walls. Everything shook for a second, and then subsided.”Raveendran, who was travelling in an ambulance, said that the vehicle almost veered off the road. “It happened all of a sudden and we all got scared. Luckily, the driver controlled the van soon.”In Kolazhi, Seema, a school teacher, said that the glasses of the building were shattered.Witnesses said that the explosions continued for about one-and-a-half hours. The police and the Fire and Rescue Services personnel, along with other voluntary agencies had a tough time, climbing the hillock where the shed that stocked the gun powder exploded. The victims were seen being carried down covered in clothes given by locals. The leaves of the rubber trees in the vicinity were charred completely.