20160628 India Black wick fire accident claims another child’s life
India Jun 28 2016 “Houses”
Dead : dead 1 to 4 Burnout : 0 or unknown Injured : injured 1 to 9
Black wick fire accident claims another child’s life
Updated: 2016-06-28-09:27
A day after five-year-old Anushka was killed in a fire accident involving black wicks stored in her house, her elder sister, eight-year-old Yogeswari also succumbed to burn injuries at Sivakasi Government Hospital on Monday. A large quantity of black wicks manufactured clandestinely by the parents of the girls had caught fire on Sunday night. The condition of their mother Radha, who suffered a head injury, is stable.
The incident has once again brought out the illegal manufacturing of black wicks and fireworks in houses. In Sivakasi region, areas like Vembakottai, Thayilpatti, Karisalkulam and Vijayakarisalkulam are notorious for illegal manufacturing of fireworks and black wicks. “License is required to manufacture wicks and it is illegal to make them at houses,” T Kannan, president of The Indian Fireworks Manufacturers Association (TIFMA) told TOI.
Black wicks are manufactured using potassium nitrate, charcoal dust, sulfur and industrial glue dextrin. Meanwhile, fireworks manufacturers said that illegal manufacturing of fireworks is rampant at houses in the region violating safety norms and often with the help of enforcing officials. “From manufacturing small fireworks like chakras and flower-pots, illegal manufacturers are involved in fancy fireworks manufacturing. Fancy fireworks manufacturing is complicated especially due to the use of colour pellets. I suspect that the pellets, which are very unstable, caused the fire, not black wicks as maintained by the officials,” said a manufacturer who did not want to be named.
Officials claim that special teams formed by the district revenue officer are monitoring manufacture of illegal fireworks and black wicks. However, the series of accidents at illegal manufacturing units show that enforcement is shallow. “Raids will be intensified and action will be taken against those engaged in illegal firework manufacturing,” a senior police officer told TOI.
Many of the minor fire accidents don’t get reported. Unless strict vigil is kept and consistent enforcement is ensured, it will be very difficult to eradicate the shadow industry. “Illegal manufacturing units are giving a bad name to legally-run fireworks manufacturing units in Sivakasi,” added Kannan.
Web Source : THE TIMES OF INDIA
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/Black-wick-fire-accident-claims-another-childs-life/articleshow/52950126.cms