SALEM: An 80-year-old woman died in a devastating fire that broke out early Monday morning in an apartment complex in the Hasthampatti area of Salem. Eight two-wheelers parked on the ground floor of the building were gutted.
The deceased was S Dhanam.
The fire originated in the property owned by one Abdul Rahman, a resident of Maravaneri, near Hasthampatti. A sudden power outage is believed to have sparked the blaze, which quickly engulfed the parked vehicles.
Firefighters from the Fire Station at Shevapet arrived promptly and battled the flames for half an hour before extinguishing the fire.
Amid the smoke, Dhanam and her 55-year-old son, S Kannan, experienced severe breathing difficulties. However she died despite being rushed to Salem Government Medical College Hospital for intensive treatment.
"The police sent Dhanalakshmi's body for autopsy. The fire spread from the bikes. We are further investigating the cause of the fire," the Hasthampatti police told TNIE.