Fireworks are deeply embedded in Indian cultural and religious traditions, particularly in Kerala festivals such as Thrissur Pooram. However, recurring disasters reveal a troubling paradox: celebration turning into catastrophe. The recent fireworks explosion at Mundathikode, Thrissur (April 2026), which claimed at least 14 lives and injured dozens, has once again exposed systemic failures in safety, regulation, and accountability. 

The 2026 Thrissur incident involved a massive explosion at a fireworks manufacturing/storage unit preparing for festival displays. The Thrissur tragedy is not isolated. The common pattern includes Illegal or excessive storage, poor compliance with safety norms, human error, lack of training and weak enforcement mechanisms. Mostly, the temple festivals occur in the summer. The fireworks manufacturing takes place in temporary thatched huts or unsafe buildings where proper fire safety mechanisms are not installed. The workers are generally traditionally engaged for generations in such makeshift factories, and they handle chemicals with their bare hands. These workers do not have many alternative employment opportunities. 

India has laws like the Explosives Act, 1884 and the Explosives Rules, the Explosives Substances Act 1908, which was amended in 2001, but the enforcement is inconsistent. The Thrissur case revealed possible illegal stockpiling and poor record-keeping. This writer was DIG, Thrissur Range, while an incident of fire happened at the temporary storage house of fireworks materials and finished products of Paramekkavu Devaswom kept for the Thrissur Pooram festival. As seven people died and several people were injured, the police registered a crime case and started an investigation. As there was illegal storage and negligence, the police could not ignore the criminal aspects. However, the political leadership and Pooram stakeholders were only interested in ensuring that the Pooram and the fireworks were conducted smoothly. As the police did not allow the fireworks to be conducted, the persons concerned approached the District & Sessions Court and obtained permission to conduct the fireworks. 

The police turned out to be only the antiheroes, and I remember how many people tried to contact me and asked if I would get suspended for registering the case (thus, causing the weakening of Pooram‘s glory). There was a strong rumour that once the Chief Minister reaches Thrissur, he will suspend the DIG for registering a crime case in the incident of the death of seven persons in the Fire accident. Nobody was bothered about the seriousness of illegal activities, injuries and deaths of poor workers.  

As the Superintendent of Police, Thrissur, I have encountered a serious regulatory issue. Right in the middle of the city, there was an explosion in 1997, known as the Kokkala incident. The explosion was so big that I could hear the sound at 2 am, midnight, at my camp office, around 4 km away. We, the Police and the Fire Force, risked our own lives to reach the spot, as we were unaware of the cause of the explosion. Without any electric light, we spotted an explosives van, which gave us some clues. 

At great risk, we removed that van by manually pulling it away, and then we started rescue operations. These explosions had taken place in a storage house of an Explosives Dealer. Investigation showed that the Revenue officials had given a sanction to the old tiled building to store some minor quantity of explosives, but it was not informed to the Police as mandated. The quantity stored was much bigger, and that too in a highly congested area of the city. It was literally like storing bombs in the middle of the city. Still, there were no public sentiments against the powerful Explosives Dealer, though police meticulously investigated and charge sheeted the offender. 

Under no circumstances shall the explosives storage license be given in congested places in cities or towns. Fireworks production often occurs in temporary sheds or rural units, with untrained labour, absence of protective equipment and poor storage segregation, in obscure places, which are not licensed to do such activities and thus unknown to the law enforcement officers. Even if there is some information regarding such activities, the pressure on police officers would not allow them to register any cases. Rather the police would be accused of disglorifying Pooram.

Even after major disasters, events continue with minimal reform. Experts have stated that fireworks are not essential to religious practice, yet resistance to change persists. Thrissur Pooram, Nenmara Vellangi Vela, etc., are very famous festivals where fireworks are considered the most important spectacle of the event.  

Factors like temperature, humidity, chemical composition, and static electricity are often ignored. Licensing without inspection takes place in the case of the Thrissur Pooram festival. Poor coordination among agencies is also a factor.  Disaster Preparedness Deficiency: Rescue operations could get delayed due to continuing explosions, indicating a lack of risk anticipation. The fire could occur at the most unexpected of places, where the premises are unlicensed. 

Firework accidents raise constitutional and legal issues. Judicial precedents (e.g., Puttingal case aftermath) emphasise strict liability and state accountability, but implementation remains weak. 

Strict regulatory enforcement
Mandatory real-time inspection systems, digital tracking of explosive quantities and immediate closure of non-compliant units must be done on a regular basis. Licensing only to trained professionals in safe factory premises shall be ensured. Mandatory certification in explosive handling may be scrupulously done. Insurance coverage for workers shall be made mandatory. The Devaswoms shall be vested with the responsibility of obtaining insurance coverage for all the workers who are engaged in making the materials for them.  

Technological alternatives
Shift to laser shows, drone displays, and low-noise fireworks. As suggested by experts and policymakers, focus on visual rather than explosive intensity. The New Year Celebrations in Sydney, Australia, the fireworks display at Burj Khalifa, etc., are cited as examples which could be emulated. In fact, the government may consider such alternatives and alternative employment opportunities for the workers and discuss the same with stakeholders.  

Limiting quantity and location
Strict caps on storage must be enforced by the District Administration with the support of the Government. Fireworks only in designated safety zones away from crowds may be seriously considered. Places like Nenmara and Arattupuzha have enough space, but Thrissur Sakthan Round, where Thrissur Pooram takes place, has very limited space. Public Awareness & Cultural Reform: Public Awareness Campaigns emphasising safety over spectacle should take place continuously. 

Organisers may be encouraged to adopt safer alternatives. For strengthening the Legal Accountability, fast-track courts for fire disasters, heavy penalties for violations, and personal liability of license holders and Festival Organisers may be ensured. A series of responsible deliberations and freedom for enforcement agencies is a must instead of heavy pressure upon the District Administration to somehow compromise safety to ensure the glory of the festival. If any emergency arises, on-site fire and medical units, pre-event disaster management plans, and coordination with Fire Force, NDRF and local authorities are a must. 

B Sandhya, retired Director General of Police (DGP), had served as the Director General of Fire and Rescue Services.