Explosion during car charging in Indore, Madhya Pradesh; 8 dead
Eight people lost their lives in a fire incident that occurred early Wednesday morning in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Four people sustained serious injuries in this tragedy.
The incident took place around 4:00 AM in a residential colony situated near the city's Bengali Square, at a time when most residents were asleep in their homes.
The incident occurred in the Greater Brijeshwari Colony, near Bengali Square. An electric car, which was connected for charging, suffered a short circuit and caught fire; within moments, the flames engulfed the entire three-story building.
The blaze claimed the lives of eight people—including a prominent local businessman—who perished in the fire, while four others sustained injuries.
This house belonged to local businessman Manoj Pugalia, who was involved in the polymer trade. By the time fire tenders arrived at the scene, the fire had already engulfed the entire house. After a strenuous effort, the rescue team managed to safely extract three individuals; however, the others could not be saved.
Furthermore, flammable chemicals associated with Manoj Pugalia's polymer business were also stored within the house, which served to fuel the fire. Another major technical flaw that came to light was the presence of electronic locks on the doors; as soon as the fire broke out, the power supply was cut off, causing these locks to jam and leaving those trapped inside with no means of escape.
The deceased include Vujay Sethia, 65, Chhotu Sethia, 22, Suman, 60, Manoj, 65, Simran, 30, Rashi Sethia, 12 and Tinu, 35.
The injured include Saurabh Pugalia, 30, Ashish, 30 and Harshit Pugalia, 25.
Cylinders began exploding in succession
According to the police, the fire originating from the car spread rapidly to the house, eventually reaching the gas cylinders stored inside. Shortly thereafter, the cylinders began exploding in succession, sending shockwaves through the entire locality. The blasts were so powerful that a section of the house collapsed. Those sleeping inside did not even get an opportunity to escape.
According to Indore Police Commissioner Santosh Kumar Singh, an electric car belonging to the city's Pugalia family had been left charging overnight outside their residence.
He stated, "Preliminary investigations suggest that a short circuit occurred at the charging point around 4:00 AM, igniting the car. Within minutes, the fire spread into the house, where a large number of gas cylinders were stored."
Singh added, "It is suspected that the electronic door-lock system may have activated following a power outage caused by the explosions, making it even more difficult for the occupants to escape."
The police have confirmed that the fire has now been completely brought under control, and inspections of the neighboring houses are currently underway.
Reports indicate that approximately 15 gas cylinders were present inside the house, and the heat from the fire triggered a chain of explosions among them.
According to eyewitnesses, at least four cylinders exploded one after another, triggering massive blasts that shook the entire locality. The intensity of these explosions was so severe that a section of the house collapsed, leaving those inside with no opportunity even to escape.
A family function was underway at the residence, for which several relatives were staying at their home.