Chennai: With the work on clearing debris at the site of cracker explosion in Athur town in Salem district coming to an end, the administration is focusing on providing relief to the injured and families of the victims in the blast which left 17 people dead.

Denying reports about increase in the number of deaths, District Collector Dr J Radhakrishnan said that the toll was only 17 and bodies of the victims were being identified to provide compensation.

He said 15 bags of "onion" crackers had been seized from the area and three persons were being questioned in connection with the blast.

Seventeen people were killed and 31 injured, when two LPG cylinders in a van exploded and 20 tiled houses badly damaged under its impact in Athur, near Salem on September 17 night.

The injured were undergoing treatment in government hospitals in Athur and Salem.

The explosion occurred when crackers, stored in one of the houses, were being loaded onto the gas-powered van.

PTI