Village destroyed: At least 25 laborers died in an explosion at a fireworks unit at Kattanarpatti in Virudhunagar on April 19. And 18 victims were from Servaikaranpatti, which supplies work to fireworks units in the district. The photo shows relatives grieving in hospital. | Photo credit: G. MOORTHY
For V. Katheesh (12), the summer holidays could not have started more painfully. He was admitted to the Virudhunagar Government Medical College and Hospital with a head injury a day after the holidays began on April 18. He was accompanying his mother V. Jeyalakshmi (42) of Athipatti near Virudhunagar to the fireworks unit where she worked. Both had to run for their lives when a series of explosions erupted at the factory on April 19, killing 25 workers, mostly women. Eighteen of the deceased were from nearby Servaikaranpatti. Ms. Jeyalakshmi is recovering from shoulder and leg injuries.
The bodies of the deceased were charred and some workers were torn to pieces by the impact of the explosions. Firefighters spent hours trying to pull charred remains and body parts from the wreckage. But why was Katheesh there when this fatal accident happened? As a single mother, Ms. Jeyalakshmi had no choice but to take him with her to the workplace during the day.
Published – 26 Apr 2026 05:30 IST
