Elderly couple dies of suffocation as fire breaks out inside house

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a shocking incident, an elderly couple died due to suffocation following a fire outbreak at their residence in the Housing Board Colony of Bhilai. The exact cause of the fire remains undetermined, authorities suspect it may have been triggered by a mosquito coil or a short-circuit. The couple, identified as Jolly Varghese and her husband Cherian Varghese (65), had been residing alone in the colony for some time, as their children had relocated to other states. The Jamul Police were alerted around 8:30 am on Friday after thick smoke was reported emanating from the premises. Upon arrival, they discovered the couple deceased in their beds, prompting immediate transportation to a nearby hospital where they were pronounced dead upon arrival.

 

The authorities took custody of the bodies and registered the deaths as unnatural. According to police sources, the fire originated in an adjoining room, engulfing nearby areas in thick smoke due to closed windows and inadequate ventilation. The flames were contained after the fire brigade’s intervention, but significant damage was already done to furniture and stored items. CSP Chhaoni Police Subdivision, Ashish Banchhor, presumed that the combustion of certain materials likely generated carbon monoxide, causing the couple to succumb to suffocation while asleep. However, investigations are going on to ascertain the precise cause of death and the circumstances surrounding the fire incident. The couple’s isolated living situation was revealed, with their sons residing in Bengaluru and Raipur, and their daughter in Noida. The incident came to light when the son in Raipur contacted a friend in the colony, concerned by unanswered calls to his parents’ residence.