Petrol-smeared shirt catches fire from beedi spark, auto driver dies

The deceased, Thamizhkudimagan (34), was a native of Ariyalur district and he drove an autorickshaw in the city for a living. The incident happened on Wednesday morning at Sriram Nagar, Adyar. “As he ran out of fuel, he bought petrol from a nearby bunk in a bottle to refill the tank. He went to the nearby shop to wash his hands. But since there was no water, he wiped his hands in his shirt and lit a beedi. A spark fell on his shirt and he was engulfed by fire. He was rescued and rushed to Royapettah Government Hospital before being shifted to Kilpauk MedicalCollege Hospital.

However, he died without responding to treatment around 4 pm. The Kotturpuram police, on information, registered a case and further investigation is on. Thamizhkudimagan’s family in Ariyalur has been informed, the police said.

A couple from West Bengal has been admitted to a hospital with 90 per cent burns after a fire from LPG leak engulfed them in a service apartment in Thousand Lights on Wednesday morning.

The police said that the couple — Krishna Sardar (48) and her husband Sunil Sardar — checked into the apartment in the wee hours of Wednesday and the incident happened around 7.30 am.

The couple had come to Chennai for treatment at a private hospital on Greams Road. Krishna was suffering from a kidney ailment. “They reached the apartment around 5.30 and were trying to make breakfast when the accident happened,” the police said.

They have been admitted to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital with 90 per cent burns.

The police said that their daughter has been informed about the accident. A case has been registered and further investigation is on.