Three siblings, including two women, died of suffocation at their home near Vandalur, on Chennai’s outskirts, after gas and smoke enveloped their room following the bursting of a refrigerator, early on Friday. Four members of the family had just arrived in Chennai, from Dubai, late on Thursday.
The victims have been identified as V. Girija, 63, her sister S. Radha, 55 and their brother S. Raj Kumar, 45.
Two others, Raj Kumar’s wife Bhargavi, 40 and their daughter Aaradhana, 7 were rescued and have been admitted to a government hospital for treatment for breathing difficulties
Police said Girija’s husband Venkataraman, died due to an illness about a year ago. The couple had been living on the first floor of an apartment complex in Jayalakshmi Street in Kothandaraman Nagar, Kilambakkam in Vandalur, Chengalpattu district. After Venkataraman’s demise, Girija moved to Dubai with her son, and the house remained vacant and had been kept locked.
On Thursday night, Girija, along with her brother’s family, had come to Chennai and had stayed at the apartment. Police said the family was planning to go to their hometown on Friday evening.
Police said at 5 a.m. on Friday, the compressor of the refrigerator in the house burst, either because of a short circuit or due to wires malfunctioning in the fridge. The gas had filled the house where the victims were sleeping. Raj Kumar’s wife Bhargavi and his daughter Aaradhana were sleeping inside a room while Girija, Radha and Raj Kumar were sleeping in the living room. The gas, and the smoke from the resulting fire, suffocated the three siblings before they could raise an alarm. Bhargavi however, managed to cry out for help. Neighbours broke the door and alerted police and the Fire and Rescue Services personnel.
On receipt of information, Fire Service personnel from Maraimalai Nagar reached the spot and broke open the door. They retrieved the bodies of Girija, Radha and Raj Kumar, who were declared brought dead to hospital. Their bodies were taken to the Chengalpattu government hospital for post-mortems.
Guduvanchery police have registered a case and further investigations are on.
Collector visits site of accident
Chengalpattu district collector Rahul Nath and other officers visited the house and inspected It.
Mr. Nath said, “The preliminary investigation suggests the refrigerator burst and the gas from it surrounded the room where the victims were sleeping. The house had been kept locked up for a long time. The family opened it and occupied it on Thursday night only. Engineers of Tangedco are also probing the incident.”
Gas from the fridge and the subsequent smoke from a fire charred parts of the house | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“I appeal to all residents to check their refrigerators, air-conditioners and all power connections with the help of an electrician before reoccupying a house has been unoccupied for a long time,” Mr. Nath said.
