Kozhikode: A pregnant woman was killed and her husband sustained severe burn injuries after the car in which they were travelling caught fire at Cheruvannur near Perambra on Friday night.

The deceased has been identified as Sona, a native of Kakkaramukku near Cheruvannur. Her husband, Lalu, has been admitted to a private hospital in Perambra with serious burn injuries.

According to police, the incident occurred around 9 pm when the car suddenly caught fire while moving along the road. Although a fire and rescue unit from Perambra reached the spot quickly, local residents had already begun rescue efforts by pouring water from a nearby stream onto the vehicle.

“When we reached the spot, local people had already taken the pregnant woman out of the car. She was rushed to the hospital in our ambulance, but was declared brought dead by the doctors. Her husband, despite suffering burn injuries, managed to walk towards the ambulance before collapsing unconscious,” a fire and rescue official said.

Police have registered a case and begun an investigation into the cause of the fire.