A moving car caught fire at Thulavila, near Karakkamandapam, around 8.45 p.m. on Thursday, killing the driver.
The police identified the deceased as Sajikumar, residing at Mannanthala. He was a driver at HLL Lifecare Ltd., the police said. He was driving his own car (KL-01-AN 207) when the accident occurred.
The police said it was not clear how the car caught fire or if it was using LPG as fuel.
Officials of the Fire and Rescue Services and the police said the driver of the car could have been trapped inside the car as the central lock was found jammed and none of the doors could be opened by rescue personnel.
“It is possible that smoke filled the car first, choking the driver and rendering him unconscious. Local people who tried to break the glass said it had been difficult, possibly owing to the pressure inside. We had to cut open the car in the front and the rear to take the driver out. Though he had severe burns, it looked like he died of suffocation,” a Fire and Rescue Services official said. He said a traffic jam all the way from Thampanoor to Pappanamcode made it extremely difficult for the two fire force units from Chengalchoola to reach the accident spot.
