CHENNAI: In a horrifying incident, a class 12 boy succumbed to burn injuries, ten days after the fire from the sports torch fell over him during the school sports day on August 30.
The victim was identified as M Vignesh (17), a resident of Kalaivanar Nagar in Chengalpattu and a badminton player.
He was a student of Ramakrishna Mission boys higher secondary school. The Ramakrishna mission has three schools in the locality.
The combined sports day for all three was conducted at the Ramakrishna Mission boys higher secondary school, said a police officer.
Vignesh was carrying the sports torch from the stage and was on the way to pass it to another student, when the fire from the torch fell over him due to strong winds.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the staff in charge of the torch, had used petrol as fuel instead of standard kerosene or coal. "The torch was filled with some coal, incense and they had poured petrol on top of it, for it to catch fire instantly. Due to the winds, the petrol and fire fell on Vignesh's face and chest," said the police officer.
Neither did the school have fire safety equipment nor had they informed the fire service department prior to the sports day event, said the police sources. The staff and students doused the fire with water and blankets and rushed Vignesh to the Chengalpattu Government hospital after informing his father.
"On August 30, he went to school as usual and at around 9.30am, we received a call saying that Vignesh had sustained burn injuries and had been taken to the Chengalpattu Government hospital. I was working
in a place near Vandalur and rushed to the hospital. The teacher who informed me, did not mention what happened inspite of me repeatedly asking him. He dodged saying it was a minor injury and that it was nothing serious," said Murugan, Vignesh's father, who works as a daily wage labourer.
Vignesh, who had suffered 43% burns, was kept in the hospital for three days and then shifted to the Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital in Chennai. He died on on Sunday night.
The Chengalpattu Town police registered a case and the school management declared three days mourning. Police personnel are placed in front of the school for the ongoing enquiries.
"The school management had told the police that they had taken care of the medical treatment and given us compensation, when they haven't even met us till date," said Murugan. Meanwhile, the police have not detained any of the staff from the school for inquiry and have filed a case of unnatural death.