CHENNAI: Three siblings, including two women, were allegedly asphyxiated to death in the early hours of Friday after a refrigerator blast in Guduvanchery, Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu. Police said the family came to the district to perform the first death anniversary rituals for the husband of one of the deceased.
The three victims were identified as V Girija, 63, her sister S Radha, 55 and their brother S Raj Kumar, 48. Raj Kumar's wife Bhargavi, 40, and daughter Aaradhana, 7, are admitted to the Chengalpattu government hospital for treatment.
Girija's husband Venkataraman, 65, passed away due to illness about a year ago. The couple were staying on the first floor of an apartment in Jayalakshmi Street in Kothandaraman Nagar in Guduvanchery in Chengalpattu district.
When Girija moved to Dubai with her son, the house was left vacant. She returned to India on November 2 and stayed at the apartment. Her kin arrived a day later to perform the first-year death anniversary rituals for Venkataraman. Police said the family members were planning to return to their homes on Friday evening.
"At around 4 am today, we suspect there must have been a blast in the air compressor in the refrigerator caused due to either a short circuit or wire malfunctioning in the fridge. The smoke had filled the house," said a police officer.
Bhargavi and Aaradhana were sleeping inside a bedroom while the three siblings slept in the living room. The smoke suffocated them and they raised an alarm. Hearing their cry for help, the neighbours broke down the door and informed the fire and rescue personnel.
Bhargavi and Aaradhana were found unconscious and rushed to the Chromepet Government Hospital for treatment. Girija, Radha and Raj Kumar were declared dead on arrival. Their bodies were sent to the Chengalpattu Government Hospital.
The Guduvanchery police have registered a case and further investigations are on.