Elderly woman, caretaker die of asphyxiation in Ashok Nagar

CHENNAI: A 93-year-old woman and her 27-year-old caretaker died of asphyxiation after a fire broke out in their house in Kumaran Nagar during the early hours on Monday. The nonagenarian woman’s daughter, Jaya (72), escaped as she was sleeping in another room, police said.

The deceased were identified as Janaki and Jayapriya. Since Janaki was bedridden, her son had arranged for a caretaker. Janaki lived with her family at an apartment on 12th avenue in Ashok Nagar.

Police said that the apartment is filled with wooden carvings. While one of her son stays in Chennai, two others live in Bengaluru and Delhi.

The caretaker, Jayapriya of Tiruvallur stayed overnight as Janaki needed assistance at night. During the early hours of the day, neighbours in the apartment spotted smoke emanating from Janaki’s apartment and alerted the fire and rescue service personnel.

A police team from Kumaran Nagar police station reached the scene around 2 am and the rescue personnel broke inside the apartment. Janaki and Jayapriya who were sleeping in the hall were lying unconscious. Rescue teams secured them and also Jaya, who was sleeping in one of the rooms.

All three of them were moved to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KMCH). Police said that they did not suffer any burn injuries.

Police said that Janaki and Jayapriya died in the morning of asphyxiation. Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire started in the kitchen and spread.

Kumaran Nagar police have registered a case and are investigating.