Kollam: After taking stock of the situation in Kollam, where a deadly inferno at the Puttingal temple killed at least 105 people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that he had assured Chief Minister Oommen Chandy of complete aid from the Centre and added that assistance would be provided if the serious patients need to be shifted to Mumbai or New Delhi for further treatment.
“The incident that happened today is extremely saddening. Nobody can imagine that death can come in such a manner. So many people have been severely injured that too on such a large scale. I visited the site of the incident today, went to the hospitals where the injured have been admitted and also spoke to the Chief Minister,” Prime Minister Modi told the media outside the burns intensive unit of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.
Expressing his condolences to the families who have lost their dear ones in the tragedy, he expressed his horror over the incident and said that it was so terrible that it was hard to put it into words.
“The impact was so strong that people up to 200 metres were injured and the doctors told me that some blasts were such that the head was severed from the body. So, I can imagine the extent of the damage in the fire,” he said.
The Prime Minister added that he had conveyed to Chandy that if those who are seriously injured need to be shifted to Mumbai or Delhi for further treatment then the Centre will make all the necessary arrangements.
“The government stands together with the people of Kerala in this hour of grief and with the families and will give complete assistance to the state government,” he added.
Earlier today, the Prime Minister, accompanied by Chandy and Union Health Minister JP Nadda, visited the site of the incident and met the victims in the hospital.
A team of 15 burn specialist doctors from All India Institute of Medical Science and other hospitals from Delhi accompanied the Prime Minister to Kollam.
He also visited the Naval relief facility set up at Kollam and the ships providing support to medical teams and undertaking blood donation.
At least 105 people were charred to death in a fire accident at Puttingal temple during a festival at Paravur in Kollam district early this morning. 350 people have been injured and admitted to various hospitals.
The fire broke out due to the explosion of crackers at the temple. The fire has now been brought under control. (ANI)