Kerala explosions: "Opened my eyes to see fire, smoke in the hall," a witness to the blast recalls, "saw... injured... with burns"

 Kerala explosions: "Opened my eyes to see fire, smoke in the hall," a witness to the blast recalls, "saw... injured... with burns"

After a 12-year-old girl passed away from her wounds, the number of fatalities from the explosions in Kerala increased to three today. Multiple explosions happened at a zonal meeting of the Christian organization Jehovah's Witnesses at a convention center in Kochi, Kerala. 

At a Christian group's prayer gathering in Kochi, Kerala, on October 29, explosions caused by an IED resulted in several injuries, with some patients receiving treatment for burns in an intensive care unit. 

After surviving the explosions, VK Michael, a fifty-year-old man, claimed he closed his eyes during the opening prayer on the last day of the three-day event. According to HT, the explosion happened within the auditorium at 9:30 am, just a minute into the prayer, when 2,500 other conference attendees likewise closed their eyes in sync.

On camera, there was a fire in the center of the hallway, and massive smoke plumes could be seen rising before the explosion. People were frantically fleeing for their life as a dozen chairs were thrown about the hallway by the explosion, according to PTI.

After being disturbed, Michael said, "I opened my eyes to see smoke and fire in the hallway." It happened close to the console in the center of the hallway. Who was wearing a purple top and black cotton pants? I was just five rows back.

"There was another blast and more fire and smoke just two seconds later," he said. We moved carefully toward the exit doors without freaking out or causing a scene. The organizers of these seminars usually give us clear instructions on what to do in the event of an explosion or fire. We left after doing what they had instructed." 

We were sat near the back of the auditorium, according to another witness, a middle-aged Kadavanthra lady. I awoke to see smoke and flames in the center of the hallway. What had really transpired was a mystery to all of them. The hall quickly filled with smoke, making it impossible for everyone to breathe, particularly the elderly."

She went on to say that when the wounded were led out of the hall, the others were directed to the exit doors. "I saw a couple of the casualties and they were in a bad state having burn injuries," she said.

When first images of the hall were captured, a heavy plume of smoke was billowing upward from the center of the fire. The guests' distress after the explosions was evident by the many chairs that were scattered about.

"I cannot believe something such this could happen at our event," said Kuriachan KM of Angamaly town, who was visiting the convention center with his family for the three-day meeting. It is the first time it has occurred in Kerala. "I don't understand why anyone would act in this manner," HT said.