3 truck drivers charred to death in Kovai freak fire
Three truck drivers were charred to death and four others suffered severe burns in a freak fire mishap in Coimbatore.
Police identified the deceased as Azhagar Raja (30), Muthu Kumar (24), and Chinna Karuppu alias Karuppusamy (26), all hailing from Theni district and working as drivers of petrol tankers by staying in a room on rental at
Muthugoundenpudur near Sulur. Three others Dinesh, Veeramani, and Manoj suffered severe burns, while Pandeeswaran sustained simple burns.
Police said Azhagar Raja fatally knocked down a 54-year-old woman riding a two-wheeler near Singanallur on Monday morning. After inquiries, he was left off on bail on Monday night.
“After coming to the room, he consumed liquor along with his friends, while Pandeeswaran was preparing food around midnight,” police said. The police statement further stated that one of them, meanwhile, was taking petrol in a one-litre bottle from a 10-litre container kept near the stove, for his two-wheeler. While filling the bottle, petrol spilled all over the place and persons nearby causing the fatal mishap.
“Unfortunately, as they all were heavily drunk, they couldn’t escape and three of them died on the spot,” the police said.
On receiving an alert from neighbours, the fire and rescue personnel arrived at the spot and doused the fire.
The injured were rushed to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) for treatment.
The Sulur police registered a case and further inquiries are on. Coimbatore district Superintendent of Police V Badrinarayanan and senior revenue officials visited the spot and held inquiries.