Four killed in Chennai apartment fire

Chennai: Four people, including two children, suffocated to death and 12 others were injured after a fire broke out in the parking lot of an apartment complex at Vadapalani in the early hours of Monday.

The deceased members who belong to the same family were identified as Meenakshi (65), Selvi (45), Sandhya (10) and Sanjay (3). The 19-year-old Ayappan, son of Selvi is the lone survivor of the family, who is undergoing treatment in the Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital along with the twelve other victims.

According to the Vadapalani police officials, the fire broke out due to short-circuit in an electricity box near the ground floor of the apartment in South Perumal Koil Street, Vadapalani around 4.45 a.m. on Monday. The fire had destroyed 22 vehicles in the parking lot.

The fire has spread to the first two floors of the ground + three storied building in no time. While the backside entrance at the first floor acted a savior, the timely help by the members of the adjacent building saved many more lives. Two fire services from Teynampet and Ashok Nagar were pressed to service immediately.
Speaking to the Deccan Chronicle, Raj Bhavan fire station officer said, “We have sent the first vehicle within ten minutes of receiving the call at 4.54am. We had rescued three women from the second floor and four more fainted people from the first floor.”

“A spark had ignited in the EB distribution box and as it led to the blast of the vehicles, thick smoke engulfed the apartment, causing the causality,” added the fire officer.

Meanwhile, doctors at the Kilpauk medical college and hospital are ensuring the advanced treatment to the injured persons. “Of the twelve patients we received, four of them are in critical condition. As they had inhaled a large amount of carbon monoxide, we had given them adequate antibiotics to prevent lung and brain congestion,” the Dean of the Kilpauk Medical College and hospital, Dr Vasantha Mani said.