District Collector A. Annadurai today distributed relief amount to the tune of Rs. 23.52 lakhs to the kin of nine persons who died in a fire mishap in a crackers manufacturing unit in Olugacheri village in Thiruvidaimarudur taluk on November 1, 2013.

The Collector distributed the relief by way of cheques to the legal heirs of the deceased in the presence of Superintendent of Police J. Mahesh.

The cracker unit, that was functioning under a tin sheet shed, was overcrowded as people had thronged the godown to purchase fire crackers for Diwali. A fire broke out unexpectedly and caused explosion and the unit completely collapsed. Nine persons including two women, were killed on the spot, while 15 others suffered burns.

The deceased were identified as S. Rethinakumar, B. Venkatesan, S. Anand, S. Aravind, C. Ananthanayagi, A. Vanitha, R. Rajkumar, V. Sridhar and C. Mukesh.

A sum of Rs. 1,02,500 each was already distributed to the kin of three deceased persons under the Chief Minister’s Farmers Security Scheme.

Today the Collector distributed cheque of Rs. 1,97,500 each to the kin the three and Rs. 3 lakh each to the heirs of other six deceased at the collectorate.