CHENNAI: On Wednesday evening, a double blast of an LPG cylinder and allegedly some explosives brought a house down on R Jaya (30) and her younger son R Deenadayalan (7). The house is in Uthiramerur, Kancheepuram district, 85 km from the city. Jaya’s husband Ravi is a farm labourer.
While the boy’s body was retrieved from the rubble by the rescue personnel, they are continuing their search for the woman, who is also feared dead, police said.
“The whole house caved in and crumbled to the ground. Apart from the usual farm job, Ravi also blasts boulders in farm wells regularly and had stocked some explosives in his house,” said a police officer.
On Wednesday evening, Jaya was cooking when the first blast took place. “It is still not clear what triggered it. We suspect it was gas leak. The fire from it made the explosives go off too, bringing the whole concrete house down,” police said.
The couple’s elder son, Diwakar (8), and Ravi were not in the house at the time of blast. The neighbouring house of Ravi’s brother Mohan was also damaged and he was injured.
Uthiramerur Police and the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services reached the scene and managed to pull the boy’s body out.
“Efforts are on to find the woman,” said TN Fire and Rescue Services personnel.
The boy’s body and the injured were taken to Chengelpet Government Hospital. Uthiramerur Police have registered a case and are probing.
Another house hit
The adjacent house, which belongs to the brother of the owner of the house where the blast occurred, also got damaged in the incident.