Varkala: It was neighbour K Shashankan who first spotted the fire that consumed the lives of five members of a family, including an infant here in the wee hours of Tuesday.
Five members of a family were charred to death in a fire at Rahul Nivas in Dalavapuram near Cherunniyoor Block Office, Varkala at around 1.45 am.
The deceased are Prathapan, 62, wife Sherly, 53, daughter-in-law Abhirami, 25, her eight-month-old son Riyan and Prathapan's younger son Ahil, 29.
Prathapan's second son Nihul, who suffered serious burn injuries, has been admitted to a private hospital. Nihul has been put on ventilator support as his condition is critical.
Shashankan saw the fire at the car porch of the house and informed the local people. Four bikes parked in the car porch were destroyed in the fire.
Shashankan's son called the members of Prathapan's house over the phone after hearing an explosion-like sound. Though Nihul picked the phone, he did not come outside. After some time, Nihul came out alone in a seriously injured state.
The fire brigade reached the house by this time. Since the gate was locked from inside, the neighbours and the fire brigade could not easily enter the house. The rescue operation was also delayed due to the presence of a pet dog inside the house compound.
Though the police and the fire-force fished out the body of the family members, five persons were found dead.
During the rescue operations, Nihul's wife Abhirami and child were found dead inside a toilet on the first floor of the house.
Prathapan was a vegetable vendor at Puthan Chanda in Varkala. He has three sons. His elder son Akhil is settled abroad. The cremation of the dead persons will take place once Akhil comes back home. Ahil and Nihul were Prathapan's partners in the vegetable trade. According to the local people, the family was financially well-off.
Short circuit likely cause
Authorities have said that short circuit could be the reason for the fire. Air conditioners were functioning in all rooms at the time of the incident. The exact cause can be ascertained only after getting a statement from Nihul, the police said.
The charred bodies were found in various rooms of the two-storied house, they said.
Range DIG, R Nishanthini carried out an inspection in the house and said the living rooms on the ground floor and the upstairs were gutted completely.
"Prima facie, we could not find anything suspicious. The forensic and electric experts have arrived and we can say anything conclusive only after receiving their reports. As per the CCTV visuals, the fire break was spotted by 1.15 am. Local people said that fire and smoke was found billowing from the car porch," she told reporters.
Fire force department sources said short circuit might be the reason for the fire while the air-conditioned rooms, lack of proper ventilation and false ceiling boards made of gypsum might have aggravated the danger. Smoke inhalation could be the reason for the tragic death of the hapless family members, they added. The bodies were shifted to the Thiruvananthapuram medical college for autopsy and a comprehensive probe was launched.
