The annual Theyyam festival at Anjootambalam Veererkavu in Nileshwar marks the beginning of Theyyam festivals in North Malabar. The explosion happened on the first day of the festival.
Eyewitnesses said they heard a deafening burst and saw a ball of fire as the storehouse went up in flames around midnight. The crackers burst every time a theyyam arrives.
Priyesh and his cousins, standing near the shed, had moved to the opposite end barely minutes before the crackers exploded. "It started with a loud burst, and then we saw a ball of fire. Soon, there was panic. There was so much crowd. Many people were standing by the side of the shed, and since there were too many people, they couldn't move around freely. We immediately started rushing people to nearby hospitals," he said.
Sreerag, former patron of the Yuvajana committee of the temple, came from Bengaluru to attend the festival. He was busy managing the crowd and making way for the arrival of Theyyam when he heard a loud burst. "Usually, we expect a crowd on the second day of the festival. On Monday night, the crowd was unusually high. The crackers are usually purchased in small quantities.
"Chinese crackers were stored in the shed. A spark from a flower cracker may have fallen into the shed, igniting the crackers. It happened so suddenly," said Sreerag, who was also one of the first responders.
He said that some of the people had sustained 80 per cent burns, and the condition of others was stable. Sreerag returned home after visiting hospitals to check on the injured people when he spoke to Onmanorama.
Residents who were present at the temple witnessing Theyyam ritual said that there wasn't much distance between the storehouse and the place where crackers were burst. According to them usually crackers are burst behind the shed, this time it was done by the side of the building. Many people had assembled there.
Panchayat representatives said that there was a lack of vigil. "The crackers are not burst on a large scale here. It is a very small event. However, there should have been more vigil with regard to the distance between the shed and place where crackers were burst," said E Shajeer, ward member, Nileshwar.
