Couple charred to death as car catches fire in Kannur

KANNUR:IN a bizarre mishap, a running car caught fire in which an eight-month pregnant woman and her husband were charred to death few metres away from the Kannur District Hospital around 10.30am on Thursday.

Four others in the car had a narrow escape as they were pushed through the rear doors, opened by driver Prajith who lost his life in the mishap.

The front doors were jammed and fire engulfed the car within seconds preventing front seaters from jumping to safety.

The deceased have been identified as K Reesha, 26 and her husband TV Prajith, 32, a civil contractor and resident of Kutiatoor village panchayat.

The car, a Maruti Suzuki S-presso, was heading towards the district hospital for Reesha’s delivery.

Reesha’s parents Kuzhikkal Vishwanathan and Shobha, her daughter Sreeparvathy, 8, and her aunt Sajina were rushed to safety through the rear doors.

Police said that the co-passengers of the victims have been shited to a hospital.

“They are not injured. They are in the hospital and they are geting checked,” Kannur city police Commissioner Ajit Kumar told reporters ater visiting the accident site.

He said it appears that the victims got trapped inside the burning car as they could not open its front door.

According to eyewitnesses, passing cars saw the fire under the hatchback’s bonnet and alerted Prajith, who was driving the car.

He stopped the car but the front passenger door and driver’s door were jammed.

Prajith stretched back and opened the rear door and pushed out those behind, they said.

By then the fire sneaked in and enveloped the front of the car.

The couple’s relatives yelled for help but the fire, fuelled by petrol and air, kept passersby at bay. Those who came running in could only throw their hands up in despair.

Officers from the Fire and Rescue Station, 500m away, reached in minutes. They could retrieve only the charred remains of the couple.

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