Kasaragod: In a tragic accident near Veerarkavu Temple in Kerala's Kasaragod district, more than 150 people were injured, with eight in critical condition, after a fireworks mishap during a temple festival late Monday night. According to police reports, the accident occurred around midnight when a fire erupted in a nearby fireworks storage facility, potentially ignited by a misfired cracker.

Victims have been rushed to hospitals across Kasaragod, Kannur, and Mangaluru, with local reports indicating that five individuals at Kanhangad District Hospital remain in very serious condition. Various hospitals have admitted the injured, including 33 at Kanhangad District Hospital, 19 at Aishal Hospital, and others spread across Sanjeevani Hospital, Nileshwar Taluk Hospital, and Aster MIMS in Kannur.

Top district officials, including the district collector and police chief, have arrived at the scene as authorities investigate the cause of the fire. The incident, which occurred during the Moolamkuzhi Chamundi Theyyam festival, reportedly began when a stray firework struck the storage building, leading to a massive explosion that injured many bystanders, including women and children watching the Theyyam performance.