Deepavali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.
This is why the festival is typically celebrated by setting off fireworks, to create an actual festival of lights.
Unfortunately, for one man in Malaysia, his Deepavali ended abruptly with a tragic accident.
25YO Malaysian Man Dies After Freak Firecracker Accident On Deepavali
A 25-year-old man passed away on Monday (28 Oct) after an accident involving firecrackers during a Deepavali celebration.
According to The Star, the man, P. Puwnaswaran, lit a firecracker outside their home in Taman Mutiara on Deepavali.
Then, Puwnaswaran suddenly slipped and fell on the firecracker which exploded on him.
The 25-year-old sustained severe injuries as a result of the explosion. A friend said “He was badly injured all over the body and face. He was immediately rushed to the Kulai Hospital for treatment.”
He was then transferred to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru, but he succumbed to his injuries a few hours later.
A Very Happy and Cheerful Person
A friend said Puwnaswaran, who worked in Singapore, was a very happy and cheerful person.
“This was supposed to be a happy occasion when everyone gathered to play firecrackers for Deepavali”
The friend added that his family is devastated.
Police officials have confirmed the death and are investigating the matter. They urged the public to be very careful when playing with fireworks.
Ban in Singapore
As you know, fireworks of any kind are banned in Singapore.
After several firecracker-related accidents in 1970 which killed six people, injured 25 others, and damaged up to $560,390 worth of property, the Dangerous Fireworks Act was introduced on 1 Aug 1972.
This act prohibits the possession, sale, transport, delivery, distribution, import or discharge of dangerous fireworks.
Despite this, and the fact that playing with firecrackers can be dangerous, Singaporeans still light a few every now and then.
Fireworks were recently seen in Jurong West, and last year, a man in Yishun was jailed for 3 weeks and made to pay a $5000 fine after setting off some fireworks.
Puwnaswaran’s death reminds us that while it’s possible to use firecrackers responsibly, it’s still dangerous and can even be fatal simply because it’s an explosive device.
We extend our deepest condolences to Puwnaswaran’s family and hope they’ll be able to pull through this difficult period in their lives.
