A woman and her daughter died of suffocation caused by smoke from the blast of an air-conditioner (AC) in the early hours of Saturday while they were fast asleep in their house at Menambedu, near Ambattur. Electric short-circuit is suspected to be the cause of the fire.
The victims have been identified as Yahila, 50, and her daughter, Nashrin, 16. After the death of her husband Rahmath, Yahila had been staying at a portion of the house owned by her brother Zahir Hussain on Kailasam Street, Egambaram Nagar, Menambedu. She was working with the housekeeping team at a nearby private school and the girl was studying in Class 11.
Dhanakodi, who runs a shop in the neighbourhood, saw smoke coming from the window of the house when he came to open his shop at 6 a.m. on Saturday. He immediately alerted Mr. Hussain and the police control room.
The police and the Fire and Rescue Services personnel rushed to the spot. The neighbours broke open the door and found that the air-conditioner unit had melted down in the fire in the bedroom. Thick smoke had enveloped the house.
A police officer said: “Initially, we rescued the woman who was lying unconscious and thought she was the only person inside the house. After spraying water and entering the house, we found the girl unconscious.”
Both died on the way to the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. The police have registered a case of fire.
