Indore Fire Tragedy: Eight Family Members Perish in Devastating Blaze
A horrific fire at a three-storey residential building in Indore's Brijeshwari Annexe near Bengali Square early Wednesday morning claimed the lives of eight family members, including children and guests who had traveled from Bihar for medical treatment. Three others were critically injured in the incident that has left the community in shock.
Timeline of the Tragedy
The tragedy unfolded at approximately 3:30 AM at the residence of polymer businessman Manoj Pugalia. According to police and eyewitness accounts, a hatchback electric vehicle parked just outside the house was plugged into a charging point. A short-circuit in the charger reportedly ignited the electric board, which quickly spread to a nearby power pole.
Commissioner of Police Santosh Singh stated, "The blaze may have been triggered by an explosion in an electric charging point for the hatchback car parked outside the premises. Around 10 LPG cylinders were also stored in the house. People heard two to three blasts, which was possibly caused by exploding cylinders, making the situation even more critical."
Rapid Escalation and Trapped Victims
Within minutes, the flames raced through the home's wiring and ignited the decorative Plaster of Paris ceilings. As the car's battery and the fuel tanks of nearby parked scooters exploded, the ground floor became a wall of fire, trapping the sleeping family members upstairs.
The fire also reached the second floor through an electric pole and bunches of wires hanging on it after catching the flames. The building had three occupied floors, and rescue operations were complicated by electronic locking systems. Authorities believe a power failure during the incident may have caused these locks to remain engaged, trapping residents inside.
"It appears the occupants were unable to exit as the electronic locks did not open," Commissioner Singh confirmed.
Haunting Scene and Rescue Challenges
The scene was described as haunting by witnesses. Neighbors reported hearing frantic screams for help echoing from the burning structure. "The cries were piercing for about 15 minutes, and then, there was only the sound of the fire," shared Vikas Juneja, a local resident.
The inferno was intensified by a series of terrifying explosions. An LPG cylinder, air conditioner compressors, and refrigerators burst like bombs, shattering the neighborhood's peace. While the fire brigade arrived, their heavy vehicles struggled to navigate the narrow lanes. A critical 45-minute delay in securing water tankers allowed the fire to consume the entire building.
Neighbors tried to help with domestic pumps, but the power cut rendered them helpless. Amidst the horror, neighbor Mahendra Jain used a ladder placed on a table to break the iron grille on the second floor. He successfully pulled Manoj's wife Sunita and his sons Saurabh, Harshit, and Somil to safety. They were rushed to MY hospital for treatment of their minor injuries.
Victims and Visiting Relatives
The deceased were identified as:
- Manoj Pugalia (65)
- His daughter-in-law Simran (30)
- Brother-in-law Vijay Sethia (65)
- Vijay's wife Suman (60)
- Vijay's son Chhotu (22)
- Vijay's daughter Ruchika alias Tinu (35)
- Manoj's grandchildren Tanmay (8) and Rashi (12)
The tragedy was compounded by the fact that the house was full of visiting relatives. Manoj's brother-in-law, Vijay Sethia, had arrived from Kishanganj, Bihar, just days ago to seek cancer treatment in Indore. He, along with his wife, son, daughter, and grandchildren, all perished in the flames alongside Manoj and his daughter-in-law.
Forensic Findings and Narrow Escape
DCP Kumar Prateek said Forensic Science Laboratory teams were working at the spot till late evening, adding that they briefed him about finding broken pieces of three cylinders at the scene. Besides, eight cylinders were earlier taken out safely from the house.
"Based on the latest inputs, we are also considering that three cylinders may have exploded in the fire," he stated.
In a chilling discovery, firemen recovered as many as 10 gas cylinders from the charred remains of the kitchen, including four commercial ones. While one cylinder did explode, firefighters managed to retrieve the others before they could detonate. Had they blown up, the entire block of Brijeshwari Annex might have been leveled.
Official Response and Investigation
Cabinet ministers Kailash Vijayvargiya and Tulsi Silawat, along with collector Shivam Verma and police commissioner Santosh Singh, visited the site on Wednesday morning to assess the situation and coordinate relief efforts.
The investigation continues as authorities work to determine the exact sequence of events and identify any safety violations that may have contributed to this devastating loss of life.
