VELLORE: A man and his 13-year-old daughter died of suffocation after two two-wheelers, parked outside their house, caught fire. The deceased has been identified as Durai Varma, 49, and his daughter, Mohana Preethi, residents of Chinna Allapuram in the city.
Around 2 am on Saturday, an electric two-wheeler parked at the entrance of their house caught fire and later it spread to another bike, parked next to it. A resident of the area said, Durai had been running a photo studio and his wife had died in 2013.
He is being survived by a son, Avinash Varma (11). Sources said Durai bought the electric two-wheeler only 5 days ago, and on Friday he had put the vehicle on charge before going to sleep. At the time, only his daughter was at the house as his son was at his aunt’s house.
Police said after the two-wheelers caught fire, Durai and Mohana Preethi got trapped inside the house as the vehicles were blocking their way out. “They went inside the bathroom, but the smoke engulfed the house and both of them died of suffocation,” police sources said.
Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services (TNFRS) personnel put out the fire and the duo was taken to the Government Vellore Medical College Hospital at Adukkamparai. The doctors declared them brought dead. A senior police officer said short-circuit could have been the cause of the fire.