Three more die, Vetlapalem btast toll climbs to 26

Visakhapatnam: The death toll in the Vetlapalem cracker unit blast has risen to 26, following the deaths of three more people on Wednesday. These victims—Polapati Srinu (45), Chitikela Lakshmi (45), and K. Srinu (33)—passed away while receiving treatment at the Government General Hospital (GGH) in Kakinada. Three other victims are still undergoing treatment at the hospital, and their conditions remain critical.Of the nine patients admitted to GGH, six have now died. Among those currently receiving care, two suffered burns covering more than 90% of their bodies, while one is battling for life with 70% burns. Of the ten injured individuals, only Ch. Samuel sustained minor injuries and is being treated at a local healthcare center in Samarlakota. At the cracker manufacturing site, 30 people were present during the explosion. Twenty died instantly at the site on Saturday afternoon. One person died later on Saturday night, two more on Monday and Tuesday, and three succumbed to their injuries on Wednesday, bringing the total fatalities to 26.