NEW DELHI: Thirteen people were killed while several others sustained burn injuries after a massive fire broke out at a fireworks storage facility in the Mundathikode area of Kerala’s Thrissur district, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) confirmed on Tuesday.According to the agency, five people are in critical care, two are admitted to the ward, and 17 others sustained minor injuries.Health minister Veena George directed that specialised medical care be ensured for the injured and instructed the Thrissur Medical College to make all necessary arrangements for their treatment. She also ordered the deployment of sufficient ambulances, including Kanivu 108 units, to the site.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal, a Kerala native, expressed grief over the tragedy, saying he was “pained to hear about the scale of the devastation” and extended condolences to the bereaved families.“I am shocked to hear of the explosion at the fireworks storage facility in Thrissur, which has taken place only a few days before the Pooram will be held. I am pained to hear about the death of at least six people, and completely numb to hear about the scale of the devastation.

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families in this time of grief. I extend my sincere condolences to the families of the bereaved.

The government must deploy every possible means for rescue operations, and all injured must be given the necessary medical attention at the earliest,” he said.The mishap occurred in a shed where crackers were being prepared on behalf of a temple devaswom ahead of the upcoming Thrissur Pooram, scheduled for April 26.(With agency inputs)