A 35-year-old woman in Choolaimedu was killed after an underground electric cable burst leading to a fire on Saturday night.
The Choolaimedu police said Lima Rose, wife of James, was residing on New West Street in Choolaimedu.
On Saturday night, she went to a shop near her house. While returning home, an underground power cable suddenly burst near the Andavar Street junction and sparks flew from a pillar box.
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As the victim was standing near the pillar box, her nylon clothes caught fire and she suffered burn injuries, the police said. The woman suffered serious burns all over her body and was rushed by the locals to the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital for treatment.
As she had sustained more than 80% burns, she died on Sunday morning at the hospital not responding to treatment, officials said.
Tangedco officials said such fire accidents were rare after power cables were laid underground.
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“A preliminary report has been sought to ascertain the cause of the pillar box accident,” said a senior official.
The officials faulted the various telecommunication agencies, who in the name of digging the road, damage the underground cables leading to such accidents.
The Choolaimedu Police have filed a case and are investigating if it was a case of negligence.
On Wednesday, two Tangedco workers were electrocuted while attending to a fault in a transformer in Sowcarpet.
Another incident
In another incident, a 25-year-old person in Virugambakkam sustained minor burns when he poured petrol, instead of kerosene, in a stove on Saturday night.
The Virugambakkam police said Thendral Bharani was cooking when the victim sustained minor burns since his clothes caught fire after he poured petrol in the stove.
The victim was rushed to the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment.