BHUBANESWAR: A couple and their 10-year-old granddaughter allegedly died due to suffocation after a fire broke out at an apartment in the city in the wee hours of Wednesday.
The victims have been identified as Biswanath Behera (65), his wife Sulabha Behera (55) and grand daughter Tejaswini (10).
According to Odisha Fire and Emergency Service, the fire broke out at the ground floor of Basanti Villa Apartment in Badagada Canal Road within Laxmisagar police limits.
Investigation revealed Biswanath was employed as the caretaker of the apartment and was staying on the ground floor.
It is suspected that a short circuit in the main switch of the building, which was installed outside his room, triggered fire and plumes of smoke.
Fire personnel said the couple sustained burn injuries while attempting to douse the blaze. They were declared received dead at the hospital.
Their granddaughter was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack and passed away a few hours later while undergoing treatment.
"Prima facie it appears the couple died due to suffocation as the area was engulfed with smoke. Further investigation is underway," said Laxmisagar police station IIC, Shyamsundar Sundar Rao.