Chennai: Son battles for life after mobile blast

Chennai: A 54-year-old-man and his 42-year-old-wife succumbed to burns they sustained in an LPG cylinder blaze reportedly triggered by mobile phone blast, in Vyasarpadi, on Monday.

Their son Dinesh, 25, is also battling for his life at Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KM CH) where the couple - Rajendran, (54), and Rani, (42), of Bhaktavachalam colony in Vyasarpadi, died later in the evening.

Police said Rajendran who worked as a private security guard had asked his son to set an alarm for 5 am in his mobile phone. As the alarm went off, Rajendran rushed to the hall to turn it off.

Rajendran who found the phone was over heated due to overnight charging, switched off the charger. In a fraction, the mobile burst. This triggered a blaze from the LPG which had filled the hall and bedroom.  

Dinesh and Rani, who came to check on Rajendran also suffered burns. The blaze had ripped off both the windows in the bed room besides damaging the internal power lines.

After using the gas stove on Sunday night, the family forgot to turn off the regulator.

The noise from the blaze and blast woke up the neighbours while Rajendran jumped out of the house through the bedroom window too alerted the neighbours.

Fire and Rescue Services personnel that came for the rescue moved the trio in an ambulance to KMCH where Rajendran who suffered 82 per cent burns died around 5.30 pm and his wife who suffered 53 per cent burns died around 7.15 pm. Dinesh who also suffered 53 per cent burns is being treated. The condition of Dinesh is said to be stable.

“Rajendran, while waiting for an ambulance, told neighbours that the mobile phone burst preceded the blaze”, said a senior police official.