Tamil Nadu Chief Minister S Jayalalitha today ordered a magisterial inquiry into the Muthalaipetti fire treagedy which claimed 39 lives. In a statement today, the Chief Minister said that as the licence for the private factory was cancelled one day before the accident, magisterial inquiry will be conducted by District revenue Officer Sh Raju and report will be submitted to the government.

She said that Rs 4 crore 50 lakhs will be given to Sivakasi Government Hospital to set up better medical facilities like Plastic surgery unit, orthopaedic unit, physiotherapic unit and rehabilitation centre. Moreover this hospital will be made a centre of excellence under Madurai Medical college. The chief minister asked Virudhunagar district collector to immediately inspect all cracker factories .

Meanwhile police have arrested 12 persons including the foreman and contractor of the private cracker factory for violating safety norms. State Ministers O Paneerselvam and Natham Viswanathan gave Rs 2 lakh each as relief from Chief Minister’s relief Fund to the relatives of those killed in Sivakasi. They also gave Rs twenty five thousand each to 45 injured persons.