Seven children die in kiln blast

By Our Staff Reporter

KARIMNAGAR, FEB. 25. In a freak mishap, seven children were killed and 13 others, mostly children, seriously injured, when the kiln set up for making utensils went off due to a `mysterious metal substance' at Shasha mohalla near Lakshminagar in the town on Sunday evening.

Sheik Babu, a crude cutlery maker, had set up the kiln with blower and was making utensils along with his family members near the residential area. The Armed Reserve Head Constable, Md. Yusuf, along with his family members had set up the kiln near his new house which is under construction. Yusuf had bought some old utensils and three mysterious metal balls for making them into utensils.

As it was Sunday, children who were playing in the area assembled near the kiln and were watching the fire and blower. As soon as the balls were put in the kiln it exploded with a deafening sound killing the children instantaneously. The bodies of the children were scattered to a distance of 15 metres under the impact of the blast.

The children who died include Neha (10), Md. Arif (9), Md. Sadiq (8), Md. Nehal (9), Sheikh Mahbub and Nishanth Fatima (9). The injured were constable Md. Yusuf (45), his wife Anjum Begum (40), utensil maker Sheik Babu (50) his wife Bibi (45), M Begum (6), Gousia Fatima (7), Md. Suban (9), Md. Azim (5), Md. Sanaullah (12), T. Sowmya (11), T. Naresh (6), Heena (7) and Ulfath (4).

All the injured suffered more than 70 per cent burns. The condition of Yusuf and his wife, Sheik Babu and his wife was stated to be critical. The constable's wife Anjum Begum, who is undergoing treatment at the Government Civil Hospital, said that she had bought old utensils and was watching the procedure of making crude utensils on the kiln and within a few seconds there was a big sound.

The Additional SP (OSD) and incharge SP, Mr. V.V. Srinivasa Rao, told The Hindu that the explosion could have occurred because of heat and pressure developed due to the blower or due to some material put unintentionally in the kiln. He said that they had videographed the scene of the blast and recovered two mysterious metal balls. He said that they had sent the two metal balls for the explosives tests for thorough investigation.

The Congress MLA, Mr. T. Jeevan Reddy, who rushed to the hospital in the evening urged the Government to pay an ex- gratia of Rs. 3 lakhs to bereaved family members. He also expressed shock and grief over the accident. The Manthani MLA, Mr. D. Sridhar, and the Karimnagar MLA, Mr. K. Devender Rao, and others also rushed to the hospital.

Our Anantapur Staff Reporter writes:

One person was critically injured when bombs hidden in a haystack went off accidentally at Basampalli village of Chennekothapalli mandal of the district today. He was first admitted to the general hospital here but later rushed to a Bangalore hospital.

According to the police, one Muthyalu (50) went to his haystack to get fodder for his cattle when the bombs hidden in the stack went off. One of his hands was severed from his body in the intensity of the explosion. Another hand, face and chest also received serious injuries in the explosion.

It is not known yet whether the bombs were hidden by him or others in the haystack. His condition was stated to be critical.

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