MADURAI: A 44-year-old man suffocated to death after a fire broke out inside a jewellery store at South Masi Street in the city during the night hours of Monday. Sources said the deceased, M Mothilal (44) of Athikulam, had been working at Janaki Jewellery for the past five years.
Around 7.30 pm on Monday, the employees saw smoke billowing from the second floor of the shop. After alerting fire and rescue service personnel, Mothilal went inside the shop through a lift to check the situation. After some time the firefighters reached the spot and broke open the lift. However, Mothilal was not found inside.
They later found him in an unconscious condition in the bathroom on the second floor. He was taken to Government Rajaji Hospital, but the doctors declared him dead. Based on a complaint from Mothilal's relative J Rakesh, South Gate police registered a case under section 174 CrPC. No major loss of property owing to the fire was reported from the jewellery.