A 31-year-old man, who suffering burns after his electric bike caught fire while charging, died on Friday. His nine-month-old daughter also died on Monday due to the burns.
The police said N. Gowthaman 31, an electric motor mechanic, his wife Manju, 28, and their daughter lived in a house in Maduravoyal. Late on March 16, Gowthaman put the vehicle on charge in the portico of the house and locked the gate. The bike was of Indian make and a 2018 model, the police said.
At 5:30 am the next day, Gowthaman woke up to the smell of smoke and found that his vehicle was on fire. With flames blocking the front gate, he took his daughter and tried to escape to the first floor of the house, where his parents stayed. While crossing the portico, both of them suffered burns. Later, Manju also climbed the stairs and was injured.
The fire quickly spread to the house’s entrance before the police and the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services personnel reached the spot. Since the portico was small, there had been no escape route, the police said. All three were taken to the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital for treatment.
Published – March 21, 2025 10:57 pm IST