Oragadam fire accident: 2 victims die at govt hospitals

CHENNAI: Two people died and ten others were injured in a fire accident at a LPG gas cylinder godown in Oragadam in the Kancheepuram district on Wednesday night.

The fire took place inside the godown on Wednesday night around 7 pm that spread to cylinders and caused blasting of the gas cylinders.

A total of 12 people were injured in the accident, with many of them suffering 100 per cent burns. The godown owner Jeevanandam, his daughters Sandhya (21), Nivetha (20), and Pooja (19) suffered severe burns and the neighbours Kishore (13), Gokul (22), Arun (22), Kunal (22), Sakthivel (32), Tamilarasan (10), Sanmugaprian, and Amothkumar, suffered severe burns.

Seven of them were taken to Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital and five others were being treated at Chengalpattu Medical College and Hospital.

Of these, one victim succumbed to injuries at Chengalpattu Medical College and Hospital without responding to treatment, while another victim with nearly 100 per cent burns died at Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital. The police sent their bodies for post-mortem and further inquiry is on. At least nine others are critical and one patient is under observation at government hospitals.

The fire and rescue team from Kancheepuram, Maraimalai Nagar, Oragadam, and Sriperumbudur rushed to the spot and doused the fire, while the power supply was turned off in the area completely due to gas leakage.

The police has registered a case on the godown owner, panchayat president and three others for negligence in work and maintenance. The private gas agency is situated in Devariyampakkam village in Walajabad and owned by Jeevanandam, who is the brother of the personal assistant of the former Health Minister Vijayabaskar. Police said Jeevanandam used to supply cylinders for commercial usage to the factories in the locality.

The patients who have suffered burns of about 70 per cent are currently, on ventilator support. "All the patients other than the patient with 30 per cent burns are critical. Ventilator support is given to those with severe burns. We are continuously monitoring their health condition,” said Dr R Shantimalar, dean, Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital.

Health minister Ma Subramanian visited the fire accident victims admitted to Chengalpattu Medical College and Hospital for treatment on Thursday morning. He said that the police authorities will investigate the provisions of safety measures in the industrial area of the accident site and how the accident took place.

Responding to the queries on providing financial assistance to the victims of the accident, he said that the issue will be discussed with the Chief Minister and a decision will be taken in this regard. The Health Minister visited the hospital and patients along with Chengalpattu Collector and other government officials.