Relatives and local residents pay homage to the four members of a family who were found charred to death in their house near Angamaly town in the early morning hours of Saturday. Â
The four-member family charred to death in tragic circumstances in their house near Angamaly town in the early morning hours of Saturday was given a tearful adieu in the presence of hundreds on Sunday.
Bineesh Kumar, 45, wife Anumol Mathew, 40, and their children Jowana, 8, and Jeswin, 6, were killed in a fire reportedly caused by a short-circuit triggered by the air-conditioner in their bedroom on the first floor of their two-storied house.
Hundreds flocked to the house from morning itself even before the bodies, which were being kept in the freezer at a private hospital in Angamaly after autopsy, were brought to the home at 10.45 p.m.
Bodies of the children packed in small caskets were the first to be taken out of the ambulance to a collective gasp of grief. This was followed by the bodies of their parents as sobs erupted all around.
After prayers, the bodies were placed outside the house for the people to pay homage. Chinnamma, Bineeshâs mother who was downstairs and was the first to be alert to the tragedy, sister Bindu, sister-in-law Aimy, Anumolâs father Mathew and mother Chachamma were all inconsolable throughout.
Later, the bodies were taken in a procession to the cathedral in Angamaly.Â
Meanwhile, the Angamaly police probing the case are awaiting the chemical analysis report, which is expected to help confirm the cause of death. Prima facie it seems that some sort of device malfunction triggered the accidental fire.
âWe suspect gas leakage from the air-conditioner to have probably left them unconscious while still sleeping. They all appeared to have sustained the same kind of burns with the air-conditioner still running. Chemical analysis of internal organs may give a better explanation,â said Angamaly police sources.Â
The report of the electrical inspectorate would also be crucial in detecting what triggered the fire. Â