The incident occurred late Friday night near Perambra; local residents rushed to the scene to initiate rescue operations before emergency services arrived.
KOZHIKODE — In a profoundly tragic incident that has shocked the local community, a pregnant woman was killed and her husband sustained severe burn injuries after the car they were travelling in suddenly burst into flames at Cheruvannur near Perambra on Friday night.
The deceased has been identified as Sona, a native of Kakkaramukku near Cheruvannur. Her husband, Lalu, survived the blaze with serious injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Perambra.
Swift Local Intervention
According to the police, the disaster unfolded at around 9:00 PM on Friday when the vehicle suddenly caught fire while in motion. Passersby and local residents who witnessed the smoke and flames immediately rushed to the scene to assist.
Demonstrating immense courage, the locals began dousing the burning vehicle with water drawn from a nearby stream. They managed to pull Sona out of the vehicle before emergency personnel reached the spot.
A Fire and Rescue unit from Perambra arrived shortly after receiving the alert. Officials took over the rescue operations, immediately shifting the victims to the hospital.
“When we reached the spot, local people had already taken the pregnant woman out of the car,” a fire and rescue official stated. “She was rushed to the hospital in our ambulance, but was tragically declared brought dead by the doctors. Her husband, despite suffering severe burn injuries, managed to walk towards the ambulance before collapsing unconscious.”
Investigation Underway
The sudden and intense nature of the vehicular fire has raised serious safety concerns. The local police have formally registered a case and initiated a comprehensive investigation to determine the exact technical malfunction or cause behind the fatal blaze.
Incidents of moving vehicles catching fire have seen a worrying uptick in Kerala over recent years, often attributed to short circuits, unauthorized electrical alterations, or fuel line leaks, making the outcome of this investigation crucial for local automotive safety standards.
