Fire-cracker blast kills 17, hurts 27

Seventeen people, including five women and as many children, were killed and 27 others injured yesterday when an explosion in a fire cracker-laden car triggered fire and house collapse near Attur town in Salem district.

Bodies of seven men, five women and five children, including four girls, were retrieved from under the debris, a senior police official said. Fifteen houses had collapsed under the impact of the explosion.

Meanwhile in Chennai, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has ordered an inquiry by a district revenue officer into the blast and announced a compensation of Rs 50,000 each to the families of those killed and Rs 15,000 each to the injured from the CM’s General Relief Fund. She also deputed Family Welfare Minister S. Semmalai to the accident site to lead relief work.