3 of family die in TN due to asphyxiation after fridge explodes

Police said the apartment was locked for more than a year, and when the family switched on the refrigerator it exploded. The fumes spread across the room while the family members were sleeping.

Three of a family died on Friday allegedly after inhaling toxic gas that emanated from explosion of a refrigerator’s compressor in their apartment, in Tamil Nadu’s Chengalpattu district, police said.

According to the police, the explosion took place around 5 am on Friday on the first floor of an apartment in Urapakkam. (Getty Images)

According to the police, the explosion took place around 5 am on Friday on the first floor of an apartment in Urapakkam.

Police said the apartment was locked for more than a year, and when the family switched on the refrigerator it exploded. The fumes spread across the room while the family members were sleeping.

The victims have been identified as V Girija (43), her brother S Raj Kumar (45) and S Radha (55). Kumar’s wife Bhargavi (40) and daughter Aaradhya (7) were found unconscious and admitted to the Chengalpattu government hospital.

Girija and Kumar had arrived from Dubai to Chennai on Thursday for a family function, Chengalpattu district collector Rahul Nath said.

“This house had remained locked for more than a year. So when they had switched on the fridge, it exploded around 5am. And gas spread throughout. Doors and windows were closed. Bhargavi and Aaradhya were sleeping in a different room so they were not affected like the rest of the family members,” he said.

Nadh said an inquiry into whether a short circuit caused the explosion is on.

The collector appealed to get their appliances, switch boards to be checked by electricians if it hasn’t been used for a long time. The Guduvancherry police had registered a case.