Rescue officials on Monday sifted through a Hindu temple in southern India where at least 110 people died when a fireworks display—an unauthorized pyrotechnic display that went horribly wrong—swept through a temple packed with thousands for a religious festival.
The death toll so far from the pre-dawn fire on Sunday at the Puttingal Devi Temple in the village of Paravoor, stood at 110 people with more than 380 others hurt, said police officer, Unnikrishnan, AP reported.
Scores of devotees ran in panic as the massive initial blast cut off power in the complex, while other explosions sent flames and debris raining down, a witness said. Many people were trapped.
The fire started when a spark from the fireworks show ignited a separate batch of fireworks stored in the temple complex.
Police were searching for 15 members of the temple board who fled after the accident. Police were investigating for possible charges of culpable homicide, punishable with life imprisonment and illegally storing a cache of explosives.
